• All nine victims of the California avalanche have been found and recovered.
• The avalanche is described as one of the deadliest in California history, affecting a group of 15 skiers.
• Rescue operations faced severe weather conditions, complicating the search efforts over five days.
• The identities of the victims have been confirmed by Nevada County Sheriff’s Office.
• The area where the avalanche occurred will be closed for several weeks during the investigation.

The tragic avalanche in the Sierra Nevada mountains has claimed the lives of nine skiers, as all bodies have now been recovered following a challenging five-day search operation. Located north of Lake Tahoe, the avalanche, described as one of the deadliest in modern California history, struck on Tuesday, affecting a group of 15 skiers, including professional guides. Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon noted, "While we wish we could have saved them all, we are grateful that we can bring them home," during a press conference on Saturday, emphasizing the emotional toll of the disaster, according to BBC, Los Angeles Times, and NPR.

Search-and-rescue teams encountered several challenges due to severe weather, including heavy snowfall and whiteout conditions, delaying efforts to locate and recover the victims. Initially, six survivors were rescued, but it took until Saturday to confirm and recover all deceased skiers. The latter part of the search saw crews utilizing helicopters to airlift the recovered bodies to safety, aided by improved weather conditions began late last week, according to Los Angeles Times and NPR.

The avalanche occurred while a powerful atmospheric river storm was unleashing several feet of snow across the region, which contributed to the dangerous conditions. Authorities have subsequently classified the avalanche between D2 and D3 on the avalanche danger scale, indicating its potential to cause significant destruction, potentially enough to take down structures, according to BBC and Los Angeles Times.

The victims have been identified as Carrie Atkin, Lizabeth Clabaugh, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Caroline Sekar, and Katherine Vitt, alongside three guides from Blackbird Mountain Guides. As investigations continue into the incident, the affected area has been closed to visitors for several weeks, ensuring safety and facilitating recovery efforts, according to BBC, Los Angeles Times, and NPR.