Woman describes being buried in deadly avalanche at Tahoe ski resort: ‘Like being in a washing machine’

Surviviors of an avalanche at a Tahoe ski resort in Sierra Nevada that killed one person describe the deadly ordeal from Thursday, 11 January.

Janet He and Joseph Lu were caught in the avalanche when Mr Lu noticed his wife was no longer with him, prompting a frantic search in the snow for her.

Mrs Lu described the avalanche as like “being in a washing machine,” as the snow pinned her down and left her unable to move.

A stranger found and pulled her out, and Mrs Lu said the man’s voice was “the best voice I ever heard in my life.”

The Placer County Sheriff’s Office said two people were buried during the avalanche, one person was killed, and another person was injured. Two other people were caught in the slide but did not suffer injuries.