STORY: A rescue team departed to the site of an avalanche in a backcountry slope of California's Sierra Nevada mountains on Tuesday (February 17) where a group of skiers were stranded.

Video released by the Nevada County Sheriff's Office released video showing the teams setting off in thick snow and howling wind.

Reuters was able to verify the location from building, lamp post and flagpoles matching file imagery. Date was verified by local officials and media reports.

The avalanche swept the Castle Peak area of Truckee, California, about 10 miles (16.1 kilometres) north of Lake Tahoe, at about 11:30 a.m. Pacific time (1930GMT), engulfing a group of 16 skiers, according to a Facebook statement posted by the Nevada County Sheriff's Office.

The office said in a separate statement late on Tuesday that rescue teams reached six surviving skiers and evacuated them after several hours amid severe weather, and that nine were still missing.

Two of those rescued were taken to hospital for treatment, the statement added.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: RESCUE TEAM DEPARTING TO CASTLE PEAK AVALANCHE SITE

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: PART VIDEO QUALITY AS INCOMING

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

VERIFICATION:

- Location verified by building, lamp post and flagpoles matching file imagery

- date verified by local officials and media reports

SHOWS: NEVADA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (FEBRUARY 17, 2026) (NEVADA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE - No resales / No archive / Must on-screen courtesy Nevada County Sheriff's Office)

1. VARIOUS OF RESCUE TEAM DEPARTING TO AVALANCHE SITE

2. THICK SNOW COVERING GROUND AND CARS AS WIND HOWLS