A skier died in a hospital after being swept away by an avalanche and buried in snow in the Kocioł Gąsienicowy area, near the town of Zakopane, a popular Polish winter sports resort, state news agency PAP reported.
In another incident, rescuers recovered the body of a man after two tourists were caught by an avalanche in the Dolina Pięciu Stawów Polskich (Five Polish Lakes Valley) area, part of the Tatra National Park, close to the border with Slovakia.
An avalanche alert is in force in the higher parts of the Tatra mountains, with the risk level defined as considerable.
Rescuers have warned tourists of the possibility of "large and very large" natural avalanches.
“The snowpack is moderately to poorly bonded on many steep slopes," the Tatra Volunteer Rescue Service (TOPR) said in a statement.
It added that any "activity in the mountains requires extensive experience and skill" as well as a "significant ability to adequately assess" the avalanche danger.
(gs)
Source: PAP