On the evening of 4 February 2020, an avalanche took place in a mountain pass in the Bahçesaray district, leaving a snow-clearing vehicle and a minibus buried. Five people were killed and two others were reported missing, while seven passengers and the vehicle's operator managed to escape.[1][2] In response, a major rescue operation involving around 300 personnel was launched by Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD). While the team was on-site, a second avalanche struck around noon on 5 February, overturning vehicles and leaving at least 33 people dead.[3]