Four skiers were killed and four others injured in an avalanche in a ravine in Utah, western United States, local authorities and media reported on Saturday.

The Utah Landslide Center, which documents landslides in the area, said it had been the highest death toll from this cause since 1992.

“We are horrified by the sadness that we are reporting that four skiers were killed today in an avalanche near Wilson’s Peak at the top of the Milkcreek Canyon,” the foundation wrote on Twitter.

Local TV channel KSTU reported that the police received their first distress call around 11:40 am (6:40 pm GMT).

The channel said that the other four skiers were also trapped in an avalanche, but they managed to get out and were rescued. His health condition has not been reported.

“This is a terrible tragedy, and our prayers are directed towards the victims and the families concerned,” Utah Governor Spencer Cox wrote on Twitter.

“We are grateful to the first responders and others who participated in these rescue and recovery efforts. Given that the risk of avalanches is high at this time, please exercise extreme caution.”

Avalanches pose a serious risk in the Utah mountains from January to April. Earlier on Saturday before the accident, the Avalanche Center warned in a tweet of “dangerous avalanche conditions.”

bur-st / leg / ll / af