As rescuers searched for survivors of a deadly avalanche in eastern Turkey, a second avalanche swept down the same slope on Wednesday, killing more than 30 people and injuring many more. The confirmed toll from the two slides in a mountainous area of Van Province climbed sharply through the day, reaching 38 dead, including 33 rescuers, and 53 injured, according to the national disaster management agency. The first avalanche, on Tuesday, barreled into a passenger van, knocking it off a road and down a steep slope, killing at least five of the 14 people inside, local news reports said. Officials estimated that 200 to 300 people were searching on Wednesday morning for victims still buried under the snow when the other avalanche struck. The victims included soldiers, village guards, firefighters and civilians who had joined the rescue efforts, said Mehmet Emin Bilmez, the governor of Van Province.

Source: New York Times February 05, 2020 12:37 UTC