Two Skiers Killed in Avalanche at Sochi Resort

Allison Jones of USA competes competes in the Women`s Giant Slalom - Standing race at Rosa Khutor Alpine Center at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, Krasnaya Polyana, Russia, 16 March 2014. EPA/Julian Stratenschulte.

Two skiers were killed after a massive avalanche swept down a slope at the Russian mountain resort used for the Sochi Olympics the day after it opened to the public.

An 80 cubic meter avalanche struck at Sochi's Rosa Khutor ski resort on Sunday, burying six skiers on the 'Labyrinth' slope, Interfax news agency reports.

The Russian Emergencies Ministry said that two women received fatal injuries as a result of the snowslide.

The other four skiers managed to remain unharmed, with some of them digging themselves out of the snow.

Roza Khutor was the site of the Alpine skiing competitions during the Winter Games in February and the following Paralympics. The resort reopened to the public on Saturday.

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