RESCUE WORKERS SEARCHED THE WRECKAGE OF THE SMALL ALPINE VILLAGE OF LANSLEVILLARD IN FRANCE TODAY (WEDNESDAY) AFTER AN AVALANCHE HAD KILLED AT LEAST EIGHT PEOPLE AND INJURED SEVEN OTHERS.

THE AVALANCHE ROARED DOWN ON THE VILLAGE YESTERDAY (TUESDAY) AND ALPINE TROOPS AND FIREMEN WERE RUSHED IN FOR RESCUE OPERATIONS. ALL BUT TWO OF THE VICTIMS WERE RESIDENTS OF A HOTEL IN THE VILLAGE WHICH WAS FLATTENED BY THE SNOW SLIDE. AMONG THE DEAD WERE THE OWNER OF THE HOTEL AND HIS WIFE AND SON.

FOUR PEOPLE, TWO MEN AND TWO WOMEN, WERE DUG OUT ALIVE FROM THE RUINS OF THE HOTEL AFTER BEING TRAPPED FOR 17 HOURS. RESCUE TEAMS HAD ALMOST GIVEN UP HOPE UNTIL THEY HEARD FAINT CRIES COMING FROM UNDER WRECKAGE. AS MANY AS TEN OTHER PEOPLE WERE BELIEVED TO BE STILL MISSING TODAY.

LANSLEVILLARD IS ABOUT 30 MILES (46 KMS) FROM VAL D'ISERE WHERE 42 PEOPLE DIED EARLIER THIS WEEK. THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN SEVERE LANDSLIDES IN SWITZERLAND AND AUSTRIA IN THE LAST FEW DAYS.