On This Day

An avalanche destroys the Austrian village of Galtür, killing 31

On the afternoon of 18 January 2017, an avalanche occurred on Gran Sasso d'Italia massif, one of the mountains above Rigopiano, impacting and destroying the four-star Hotel Rigopiano in Farindola,...

On the afternoon of 18 January 2017, an avalanche occurred on Gran Sasso d'Italia massif, one of the mountains above Rigopiano, impacting and destroying the four-star Hotel Rigopiano in Farindola, Abruzzo. The disaster killed 29 people and injured 11 others, making it the deadliest avalanche in Italy since the White Friday avalanches in 1916, and the deadliest in Europe since the Galtür avalanche in 1999.

Two factors which contributed to the disaster were a series of earthquakes that struck the region earlier in the day, and record snowfall which occurred in the region over the preceding days.

Historical Significance

On the afternoon of 18 January 2017, an avalanche occurred on Gran Sasso d'Italia massif, one of the mountains above Rigopiano, impacting and destroying the four-star Hotel Rigopiano in Farindola, Abruzzo.

Events Before

  1. Helen Wills Moody dies

    Helen Wills Moody, American tennis player, known for american tennis player, died on 1998-01-01.

  2. A paper published by Bryony Coles highlights the submerged land between Britain and Europe in the modern North Sea as a

    A paper published by Bryony Coles highlights the submerged land between Britain and Europe in the modern North Sea as a once crucial inhabited landmass and names it Doggerland [1]

  3. President Bill Clinton says "I want to say one thing to the American people; I did not have sexual relations with that w

    President Bill Clinton says "I want to say one thing to the American people; I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky"

  4. Osama bin Laden publishes a fatwa declaring jihad against all Jews and Crusaders

    Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden (10 March 1957 – 2 May 2011) was the founder and first general emir of the al-Qaeda militant organization.

  5. "Baywatch" actress Pamela Anderson (31) divorces Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee (35) after 3 years of marriage

    Pamela Denise Anderson is a Canadian-American actress, model and media personality.

Events After

  1. Gisborne, New Zealand, with a population of approximately 32,754, is the first city in the world to welcome the new Mill

    Gisborne, New Zealand, with a population of approximately 32,754, is the first city in the world to welcome the new Millennium

  2. Microsoft chairman Bill Gates steps aside as chief executive and appoints company president Steve Ballmer as his success

    Microsoft chairman Bill Gates steps aside as chief executive and appoints company president Steve Ballmer as his successor

  3. NASDAQ Composite stock market index peaks at 5132.52, signaling the beginning of the end of the dot-com boom

    NASDAQ Composite stock market index peaks at 5132.52, signaling the beginning of the end of the dot-com boom

  4. South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje is charged by Delhi police with fixing One Day International matches against

    South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje is charged by Delhi police with fixing One Day International matches against India

  5. Metallica files a lawsuit against the peer-to-peer sharing platform Napster, accelerating a movement against file-sharin

    Metallica files a lawsuit against the peer-to-peer sharing platform Napster, accelerating a movement against file-sharing programs

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on February 23, 1999?
On the afternoon of 18 January 2017, an avalanche occurred on Gran Sasso d'Italia massif, one of the mountains above Rigopiano, impacting and destroying the four-star Hotel Rigopiano in Farindola, Abruzzo. The disaster killed 29 people and injured 11 others, making it the deadliest avalanche in Italy since the White Friday avalanches in 1916, and the deadliest in Europe since the Galtür avalanche in 1999. Two factors which contributed to the disaster were a series of earthquakes that struck the region earlier in the day, and record snowfall which occurred in the region over the preceding days.
Why is An avalanche destroys the Austrian village of Galtür, killing 31 significant?
On the afternoon of 18 January 2017, an avalanche occurred on Gran Sasso d'Italia massif, one of the mountains above Rigopiano, impacting and destroying the four-star Hotel Rigopiano in Farindola, Abruzzo.

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