TEHRAN -- An avalanche near two Iranian ski resorts has killed eight people and injured two others.

On Thursday, 18 mountain climbers and a number of skiers were hit by an avalanche in an area between Shemshak and Dizin, two popular ski resorts near Karaj, a city 40 kilometers west of Tehran.
Several other people were left stranded in their cars because of the avalanche.
The area has experienced heavy snowfall since Wednesday.
Rescue workers were able to save 49 people who were buried under the snow.
Three foreign nationals were among the people rescued, the ISNA news agency reported.
Iran’s ski resorts are nestled among about 40 peaks that exceed 4,000 meters (13,000 feet).
About 200,000 of Iran’s 70 million people ski each year, according to the Iranian Ski Federation