At least 15 people have died in avalanches that have occurred across the United States between Feb. 1 and Feb. 8, according to CNN.
The number of deaths is the highest ever recorded in a seven-day period in the U.S., CNN reported Tuesday.
The most recent death occurred in Seattle, the outlet reported. Steve Houle, a Washington state trooper, was killed Monday in an avalanche while snowmobiling in Kittitas County, as previously reported. (RELATED: Barking Dogs Reportedly Rescue Hikers From Avalanche)
The avalanches happened in six different states.
Utah:
Four skiers were killed in an avalanche Saturday in a backcountry ski area near Salt Lake City, according to police, CNN reported. Two separate groups of skiers, a group of five and a group of three, began skiing the backcountry at the same time most likely causing the avalanche, the outlet reported. Four skiers were able to dig their way out, according to police.
This is how a massive avalanche started in Utah, US. It was the deadliest avalanche in the country since May 2014, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, killing four people pic.twitter.com/LOeGJeCROl
— TRT World (@trtworld) February 9, 2021
A 57-year-old man was caught in an avalanche and died near the Park City Mountains Canyons Village earlier in the week, according to CNN.
Colorado:
Three skiers died in an avalanche in Colorado on Monday. The bodies have not been recovered yet but were identified as three local government officials. The avalanche occurred in the San Juan Mountains between Silverton and Ophir, CNN reported.
New Hampshire:
The body of a skier was found in the New Hampshire Ammonoosuc Ravine in the White Mountain National Forest on Wednesday after an avalanche occurred, according to the outlet. The skier was reported missing Tuesday night after he did not return home.
Montana:
One snowmobiler was buried and died during an avalanche Saturday on Montana’s Swan Range, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. Four other snowmobilers were caught in the avalanche but survived.
California:
A skier and a snowboarder were caught in an avalanche Wednesday near California’s Etna Summit, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. The snowboarder reportedly survived, but the skier died after failing to be resuscitated by CPR.
Alaska:
Three climbers’ bodies were found in an avalanche slide area on Alaska’s Bear Mountain in Chugach State Park after being reported missing on Feb. 2, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center reported.
22 people total have died since the start of the avalanche season in December of 2020, according to data from Avalanche.org.