Search Underway for Missing Skiers After Avalanche Near Tahoe

Search and rescue teams in Northern California were scouring the backcountry Tuesday for several skiers reported missing after an avalanche struck near Lake Tahoe amid a fierce winter storm battering the state.

The incident occurred around 11:30 a.m. when the Nevada County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call reporting an avalanche with people buried in the area of Castle Peak, a 9,110-foot summit in the Donner Summit region of the Sierra Nevada, northwest of Lake Tahoe. Authorities believe a group of backcountry skiers was caught in the slide, with multiple members of the party unaccounted for, according to a Facebook post from the sheriff's office. Responding crews included deputies, the sheriff's search and rescue team and personnel from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Ashley Quadros, a spokesperson for the Nevada County Sheriff's Office, confirmed the response efforts were underway in the remote, rugged terrain. The avalanche took place during a multi-day storm that has dumped heavy snow across mountain areas, fueling high risks for slides. The Sierra Avalanche Center in Truckee warned of extreme backcountry dangers in the Central Sierra Nevada,...