This undated picture provided by the Police Valais, shows Pigne d'Arolla mountain near Arolla, Switzerland. (Photo: AP)

Swiss police say one hiker has died and another has been injured following an avalanche high in the Alps in southwest Switzerland.

Police in the canton, or region, known as Valais in French and Wallis in German said the two hikers and two others were swept up in the Sunday morning avalanche at more than 2,400 meters (7,900 feet) in the Bovernier area near the country’s borders with France and Italy. All four were residents or natives of the region.

Four helicopter teams deployed rescue squads and found a 37-year-old man dead after he got buried under 1.5 meters (5 feet) of snow.

Two companions were able to extract a fourth hiker who had been buried under the snow. He was flown to a hospital.

All were wearing avalanche-victim detectors.