US ski resort avalanche kills four

So far four people are confirmed dead after avalanches at popular ski resorts in Washington State, US authorities say.

The King County Sheriff's Office began receiving word about a slide that killed three experienced skiers near the Stevens Pass ski area just after noon on Sunday, Sergeant Cindi West said. Stevens Pass is in the Cascade Mountains northeast of Seattle.

The deaths occurred in an out-of-bounds area near the resort, with another eight people initially feared missing now accounted for. However, it is not known if any other people were caught up in the deadly slide, and search and rescue crews and other emergency responders are at the scene.

The Northwest Weather and Avalanche Centre had issued a warning for high avalanche danger for areas above 1500 metres, saying warmer weather could loosen surface snow and trigger a slide on steeper slopes. The resort's website said Sunday was a "popular powder day", with 36cm of fresh snow falling overnight. Stevens Pass, a 130km drive from Seattle, is one of the most popular outdoor recreation areas in the state. People flock there to go cross-country, back-country and downhill skiing, as well as snowshoeing and backpacking.