In December of 1916, during the worst days of World War I, a series of avalanches in the Italian Alps killed around 10,000 Italian and Austrian soldiers fighting against each other. Some witnesses claim that the avalanches were purposefully triggered by the activities of soldiers on both sides in efforts to destroy their respective oppositions' forces. Heavy snowfall in the winter of 1916 had further catalyzed the possibility of avalanches in the region. On December 13th, the first avalanche, involving around 100,000 tons of ice, snow, and rocks, plunged down Mount Marmolada into the barracks of the Austrian soldiers lying directly in its path. Though 200 soldiers survived, 300 others died in this accident. However, this was just the beginning. Within the next few weeks, many other avalanches struck the area, with disturbingly high frequencies of snowfalls claiming several more thousands of lives.