Investigation of Avalanche Events Occurring in Palandöken Ski Resort.

Abstract

The aim of the study is to examine the avalanche events that occurred in Erzurum Palandöken Ski Resort. Palandöken's topography makes it vulnerable to avalanches. Avalanches are the rapid and sudden flow of snow masses accumulated on slopes and are considered one of the natural disasters. Several avalanches have occurred on Palandöken Mountain, leading to tragic results. In 1974, six people were buried under an avalanche and rescue teams were injured in a secondary avalanche. In subsequent years, avalanches died four people in 1975, one person in 1976, and eight people on Dragon Peak in 1977. In 2006, one tourist died in an avalanche on Palandöken Mountain. The last avalanche disaster on Palandöken Mountain, which occurred on December 21, 2024, resulted in the death of an athlete from the Kocaeli Judo National Team of the Turkish Olympic Preparation Center. Palandöken, one of Türkiye's leading winter tourism destinations, hosts international events but faces significant avalanche risks due to its topography. In order to reduce these risks, it is essential to establish avalanche early warning and monitoring systems, provide avalanche safety training for tourists and personnel, and implement infrastructure measures to reduce avalanche hazards.