Massive landslide traps Austrian village

The landslide buried the town of Val's only road link to a depth of 50 meters (165 feet). Evacuation efforts had to be put on hold because of the ongoing falls.

A group of children on their way to a Christmas Mass reportedly missed the fall by a matter of minutes. The region's governor called it a "Christmas miracle" that no one was injured.

Geologists flew in helicopters to assess the situation and said cracks appeared to widening while large boulders were still tumbling. Authorities initially let people leave via a forest road but were forced to stop due to the ongoing danger.

The mayor said people were calm about the event and were stocked up for Christmas so food was not a problem. Nonetheless helicopters flew supplies in to the villagers.