What Was the Largest Avalanche in History? 1970 Disaster Takes the Title

Mother Nature flexes in terrifying ways. Lysogor Roman / Shutterstock

When people talk about the largest avalanche in history, are they referring to the sheer amount of displaced mass? The total property damage? In reality, the phrase usually refers to lives lost, equating "largest" to the deadliest avalanche ever recorded.

In most cases, that distinction goes to the 1970 Huascarán debris avalanche in Peru, though several other catastrophic snow slides rank among the most deadly in global and U.S. history.

Below are 10 of the largest and deadliest avalanche disasters.

Contents

1970 Huascarán Debris Avalanche – Peru
1916 White Friday Avalanches – Italy
1910 Wellington Avalanche – Washington, U.S.
1898 Chilkoot Trail Avalanche – Alaska, U.S.
1954 Blons Avalanches – Austria
1999 Galtur Avalanche – Austria
2017 Rigopiano Avalanche – Italy
1981 Mount Rainier Avalanche – Washington, U.S.
2026 Lake Tahoe Backcountry Avalanche – California, U.S.
1982 Alpine Meadows Avalanche – California, U.S.

1. 1970 Huascarán Debris Avalanche – Peru

On May 31, 1970, an earthquake triggered a massive ice avalanche and rockslide off Mount Huascarán. A wall of snow, ice, and debris avalanche crashed into towns below, burying Yungay and surrounding areas.

An estimated 15,000 to 25,000 people were killed, making it the deadliest avalanche in history.

2. 1916 White Friday Avalanches – Italy

During World War I, heavy snow and artillery fire triggered multiple snow slides in the Alps.

On Dec. 13, 1916, thousands of soldiers were snow swept from mountain positions in what became one of the deadliest mountaineering disasters tied to combat. Estimates suggest more than 2,000 lives were lost.

3. 1910 Wellington Avalanche – Washington, U.S.

In Wellington, Washington, bad weather left two Great Northern passenger trains stuck on the tracks near a gorge. An avalanche near the town sent trains into a gorge, killing 96 people. It remains the deadliest avalanche in U.S. history.

4. 1898 Chilkoot Trail Avalanche – Alaska, U.S.

During the Klondike Gold Rush, bad weather triggered snow slides along the Chilkoot Trail Alaska route. More than 60 prospectors were killed on the Chilkoot Trail as snow swept camps and supply lines.

5. 1954 Blons Avalanches – Austria

A series of snow slides struck the village of Blons. Within hours, avalanche wiped out homes and killed 57 residents. It remains one of the deadliest alpine disasters of the 20th century.

6. 1999 Galtur Avalanche – Austria

A massive wall of snow swept into the village of Galtür at extreme speed. Thirty-one people were found dead after rescue crews battled dangerous conditions. The deadly event reshaped avalanche safety standards in Europe.

7. 2017 Rigopiano Avalanche – Italy

After heavy snowfall and seismic activity, an avalanche buried a ski chalet hotel in central Italy. Twenty-nine people were killed in what became the country’s most deadly event in decades.

8. 1981 Mount Rainier Avalanche – Washington, U.S.

Ten climbers and a guide were killed near the Ingraham Glacier on Mount Rainier Washington. Several were rescued, but some remained missing after the deadly mountaineering accident, making it one of the most deadly mountaineering accident events in recent U.S history.

9. 2026 Lake Tahoe Backcountry Avalanche – California, U.S.

In February 2026, eight backcountry skiers were found dead after an avalanche near Lake Tahoe in California’s Sierra Nevada. Authorities reported that search crews found several victims buried under deep snow. The deadly event became one of the deadliest avalanches in California history.

10. 1982 Alpine Meadows Avalanche – California, U.S.

On March 31, 1982, a California avalanche struck Alpine Meadows ski resort near Lake Tahoe. The avalanche buried resort buildings. Seven people—including four resort employees—were killed at Alpine Meadows California, marking one of the deadliest in U.S history at a ski resort.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.