Avalanche death toll climbs to 8
Government jail proposal for snowslides draws criticism
08 February, 18:28
(ANSA) - Rome, February 8 - The death toll of those killed
in snowslides this weekend climbed to eight on Monday, prompting
a controversial government proposal to jail those who cause
avalanches.
A combination of weather conditions resulted in avalanches
in several Italian resorts on Saturday and Sunday, leaving
hundreds injured.Six were reported dead over the weekend, rising to eight on Monday after a 49-year-old woman died in hospital and rescue workers discovered the body of a 63-year-old man, both caught in separate slides the previous day.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that the government hopes to tackle the dangers through two new legislative measures. The first would make it a criminal offence punishable by jail to cause an avalanche resulting in death.
The second measure envisions 5,000-euro fines for anyone caught skiing off-piste or hiking in the mountains following official warnings of dangerous weather. Both proposals, which were reportedly drafted by Italy's Civil Protection Authority, are contained in a government amendment to a bill currently being debated by the Senate. But critics condemned the measures on Monday, describing them as a waste of time and money and saying they would do nothing to save lives. Italian mountaineering legend Reinhold Messner said the proposals were a ''hysterical overreaction'', pointing out that ''every citizen already has a duty towards others, including when they are in the mountains''. ''Legislative initiatives of this kind will simply kill mountaineering,'' he added. Consumer association Codacons said the amendment was ''ridiculous'' ''Anyone causing deaths by an avalanche can already be charged under the criminal code,'' a statement by the association noted. ''Similarly, those causing financial loss by recklessly or deliberately causing authorities to mobilize hundreds of rescue workers can already be fined under the civil code''.
Enforcing existing legislation requiring local authorities to invest in safety and education campaigns would be a better use of state money, Codacons said. Opposition Senator Maurizio Fistarol of the Democratic Party said the proposals showed a complete lack of awareness ''of the true reality of the mountains''. ''They are born from a wave of emotion over recent events and have not been properly thought out,'' he said.
''Authorities operating in the mountains, including in emergency situations, were not adequately consulted and the message risks being ineffective''.
Meanwhile, the Italian Forestry Corps on Monday warned the higher-than-usual risk of avalanches was set to continue across mountains in northern and central Italy over coming days. It blamed strong winds, slight rises in temperatures over the last 72 hours and the development of frost at levels making the snow particularly unstable.
