Lake Tahoe avalanche victims identified? First details emerge after 8 skiers died in tragedy

The mayor of Mill Valley, about 14 miles north of San Francisco, confirmed that the woman was one of eight people killed in a tragic avalanche in California, the New York Post reported. The mayor did not reveal the victim’s name or any other details.

“Our hearts in Mill Valley are with the families who have been impacted,” said Mill Valley Mayor Max Perrey. “This is a huge tragedy and a tremendous loss.”

Neighbors described the victim as a vibrant person. A neighbor named Kim shared her grief in an interview with NBC Bay Area.

“It was devastating, I mean it was ski week and she had two adorable little kids and we’d been watching them go back and forth from school for the past few years,” King said. “She had a great energy and zest for life and she was a lovely neighbour.

“It’s so scary, like you never think this is going to happen,” King added.

Also read: Lake Tahoe Avalanche Latest: How iPhone SOS Helped Green Mountain Massacre Survivors – Explained

The group consisted of 15 backcountry skiers guided by Blackbird Mountain Guides. They were skiing at Green Mountain, about 40 miles from Rose Mountain, late Tuesday morning when they were struck by an avalanche during a severe snowstorm.

The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said emergency crews received a call around 11:30 a.m. reporting that several skiers were buried in deep snow. Nearly 50 rescue workers rushed to the scene. After several hours of searching, six people were found alive. Two people were injured and taken to hospital. One was released late Tuesday and the other is expected to be released Wednesday, officials said.

The group was completing a three-day guided ski trip near Green Mountain, near Donner Peak, when a large avalanche ripped through the slopes. The slide is about the length of a football field.