Mountain near collapse on Europe’s biggest glacier
A big rock looks set to come down on the Aletsch glacier in Valais. Geologists are alarmed, but no one can tell how and when exactly it will break. (RTS/swissinfo.ch)
At 30km long, the Aletsch glacier is the largest in the Alps. It has shrunk significantly over the past decades as a result of global warming. In some places, where the glacier used to support the surrounding mountains, the ice has almost completely disappeared. This greatly increases the risk of rockslides.
Now geologists have discovered major cracks on one of the mountain faces. It is moving 20 centimetres every day. The experts don’t know how soon the mountain face will slide nor how exactly it will come down. The rockslide doesn’t pose an imminent threat to people, since no one lives inside the danger zone. Hiking routes have been closed off and marked with warning signs.
According to Valais geologist Raphaël Mayoraz, the mountain rubble could form a dam between the glacier and the Valais. This could result in the formation of a lake, which could pose a potential threat to people.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
What’s happening to Europe’s longest glacier?
This content was published on
From the top of the Moosfluh peak above the village of Riederalp, the sweeping panoramic vista takes your breath away. A huge grey-and-white cracked sea of ice snakes into view from around a distant mountain. Just below, an elderly Japanese couple munch away on their packed lunch, silently digesting the natural wonder from their balcony…
This content was published on
J.R.R. Tolkien was so impressed by the beauty of nature during a visit to Switzerland, that he incorporated some of his experiences in his novels.
This content was published on
In the southern canton of Ticino, July was on average five degrees Celsius warmer than usual. A wet spring was followed by three months of drought. The hot, dry summer was great for tourism but dire for farmers as fruit and vegetables struggled to grow. Some scientists directly link extreme weather conditions like these to…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.