Tourists among four killed in Norway avalanches

Gulf Today Report

Four people, including foreign tourists, were killed on Friday as multiple avalanches hit Norway's far north, including one which swept a house and a barn into the sea, police said.

According to police, a group of tourists were caught in an avalanche in the Kvalvikdalen valley in Norway's far north on Friday afternoon.

"There were five people of foreign origin that were on an outing in the area. We can confirm that one person is deceased," Morten Pettersen, a spokesman for the police, told journalists.

Pettersen added two others were hurt, one critically and one with "moderate injuries." The others were unharmed.

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According to press reports, the death toll may increase, as rescue operations have been severely hampered by bad weather conditions, with ground crews unable to enter some of the affected areas.

The worst affected area is Reinoya, a small island in Nord-Troms, where two people were found dead and a barn with around 140 goats was swept into the sea.

"The victims were permanent residents of the farm. The other residents in the area are being evacuated," Aftenposten quoted Mona Benjaminsen, the mayor of Karlsoy municipality, as saying.

In Nordreisa municipality, a foreign citizen was confirmed dead after being dug out from the avalanche by another person in the same group. The group of six belonged to a foreign tour group and were in Kildalen when the avalanche hit the area.