By Canadian Press

Avalanches kill 10 in mountainous area near Iran’s capital

Dec 27, 2020 | 12:21 AM

TEHRAN, Iran — A series of avalanches in Iran killed 10 people in a mountainous area north of the capital, state TV reported Sunday.

The report said rescue teams were searching for a number of missing people after the avalanches struck in four different areas. State TV aired footage of emergency crews using a helicopter to search for those missing and injured.

The incidents happened on Friday following strong winds and snowfall a day earlier. The Alborz mountain range where the avalanches struck is popular on weekends for its hiking and climbing.

Deadly avalanches are a rare phenomenon in Iran. In 2017, two avalanches killed 11 hikers.