Tomorrowland Winter evacuated 250 people after severe snowstorm

Around 250 people were evacuated on Monday from parts of the French ski resort Alpe d'Huez - currently hosting the Tomorrowland Winter festival - after the ski lifts were closed due to unexpected bad weather. “The evacuation was a normal situation in a ski resort," said Tomorrowland spokeswoman Debby Wilmsen. "In the afternoon, lifts were closed because of the wind. Some of our festival goers, crew, and artists that planned to take lifts from the bars to the resort were bought back by snow cars,” she added. 

There were about 4 mountaintop locations where festivalgoers remained even after the heavy snows shut down the ski lifts, according to reports. Many of the people had taken ski lifts up but did not plan to ski down the mountain. So, they had to be brought down the mountain in 6 "bobcats". After the attendees were rescued the artists and crew were brought down.

Operations were expected to have resumed fully by start time today, and no statement has been made otherwise.

The first "winter" version of Tomorrowland is sold-out with 25,000 visitors expected this week. Artists attending include Paul Kalkbrenner, Armin van Buuren, Netsky, Martin Garrix, Lost Frequencies and Martin Solveig.

@Realregi & @Yvesv welcoming the People of Tomorrow at the Orangerie on Sunday evening. pic.twitter.com/wxMjl3zNUi

— Tomorrowland Winter (@TMLwinter) March 11, 2019

Jules Johnston
The Brussels Times