Andorra Triggers 53 Controlled Avalanches to Protect Roads After Heavy Snow

Andorra's Coex service, with support from external specialists, carried out 53 controlled avalanche triggers over a high-risk weekend triggered by heavy snowfall from Friday night into Saturday. Most operations targeted the Ransol valley to safeguard the country's 140-kilometre interurban road network.

Saturday's efforts started at dawn with 18 shots: eight using explosives in the Guardiola-Soldeu area, eight more at Fonts d'Arinsal, and two from Wyssen towers in the Torradella-Pont de Mos-Ransol sector. That afternoon brought three additional explosives at Hortell d'Arcalís and five arrows fired from an 'avalencheur' cannon at Basser del Corb.

Sunday morning added seven more detonations: five explosives in Guardiola-Soldeu and two Wyssen tower shots in Torradella-Pont de Mos-Ransol. The operations peaked with 20 helicopter-dropped grenades across the entire Ransol valley, from Torradella to Castellar.

Several triggers produced successful slides, including at Hortell d'Arcalís, the Torradella Wyssen sector, Basser del Corb, and a slab released by explosive in Guardiola-Soldeu. No significant road disruptions occurred, despite heavily loaded snowpack conditions.

This marked far greater activity than the Christmas snowfall period, which saw only two Wyssen activations in Ransol and three shots at Hortell. Experts from firms such as NivoRisk assisted Coex teams in these preventive measures, capitalizing on favorable weather windows amid elevated avalanche risks.

Coex maintains round-the-clock winter operations through a sector-based guard system, with teams patrolling daily from 4am to clear snow and ensure safe passage on general interurban roads.