PHOTO: Avalanche Swallows 3-Story Apartment Building Near Lake Tahoe

An avalanche in Olympic Valley, California, northwest of Lake Tahoe, buried the bottom two stories of a three-story apartment building on Wednesday, requiring an evacuation of the building’s residents, who left safely.

Local NBC affiliate News 4 reported:

An avalanche struck a three-story apartment building in Olympic Valley, California, around 7 p.m. on Feb. 28. No occupants were injured and they were able to evacuate the building with help from fire crews, authorities with the Placer County Sheriff’s Office say.

The avalanche was approximately 200 yards wide and 25 feet deep and engulfed the bottom two stories of the building.

Due to the heightened avalanche risk, several additional areas were evacuated[.]

Snow continued to fall across the state on Wednesday, even reaching Los Angeles at higher elevations. In mountain communities, many residents remained trapped, unable to work or even to leave their homes.

First responders were dispatched to several communities, delivering emergency supplies and helping residents plow roads, to clear dooways, and even to salvage scarce groceries.

The Associated Press reported:

In San Bernardino County east of Los Angeles, around-the-clock plowing is underway but it could take more than a week to reach some areas, said Dawn Rowe, chair of the county’s board of supervisors. Residents are dealing with as much as 7 feet (2 meters) of snow, and sheriffs’ authorities have conducted 17 rescue operations to help off-roaders and skiers. Emergency crews are trying to reach residents who need assistance.

…

In Crestline, the entire roof of Goodwin and Sons Market collapsed Wednesday as safety inspectors were onsite checking up on reported damage. Officials raced to salvage food that residents sorely need from its shelves.