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France responds to avalanche deaths with new app

The Local France
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France responds to avalanche deaths with new app
Photo: AFP

French weather agency Météo France has unveiled an app that warns skiers and hikers about the probability of avalanches in their vicinity.

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The app, called Météo ski, has been designed for anyone taking to the slopes of the French Alps or the Pyrénées in the south west of the country.

 
As well as detailing weather conditions in general, it collates data from over 100 ski patrol staff to issue warnings about the avalanche risks in each area. 
 
It also offers practical information like slope maps, closing times, and nearby ski resorts.
 
The app is only available in French at the moment, but the official site promises that an English version will be available soon. It's free for download at in Apple and Android stores. 
 
Avalanches in the French Alps have proved deadly several times this year, with six soldiers killed while training in mid-January, just days after a separate avalanche killed two children when a school group went off piste. 

Another woman was killed last week when she was swept away with two friends. 

READ ALSO: What makes the French Alps so risky for avalanches?

Woman hiker killed as another avalanche hits French Alps

 

READ ALSO: How to avoid deadly risks of Alps avalanches

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