The Glacier Collapse on Marmolada Mountain in the Italian Alps has unleashed a massive amount of ice, snow, and rock, tragically burying a large number of climbers, resulting in dozens of casualties and missing persons.
According to Reuters, on July 3rd at noon local time, a large section of the ice column at the summit of Marmolada, part of the Dolomites in the Italian Alps, broke off and slid down the mountainside, resulting in at least 6 fatalities and 9 injuries.
The incident occurred at the summit of Marmolada, which stands at an elevation of over 3,300 meters. This is the highest peak in the Dolomites, located in the eastern part of Italy, extending through the provinces of Trento and Veneto.
Rescue teams reported that the glacier collapse sent a massive volume of ice, snow, and rock crashing down where many climbers were present. This trail is a popular route for tourists heading to the summit of Marmolada.
The Governor of Veneto, Luca Zaia, stated that the injured have been transported to hospitals in nearby towns and cities, including Belluno, Treviso, Trento, and Bolzano.
The site of the glacier collapse on Marmolada Mountain in Italy. (Photo: REUTERS)
The Trento provincial authorities indicated that rescue operations are ongoing. Helicopters and search dogs have also been deployed to locate missing individuals. Gianpaolo Bottacin, a local civil protection official, mentioned that there could be as many as 15 people still unaccounted for.
By the evening of July 3rd, the national rescue team posted a phone number on Twitter for relatives or friends to report climbers who had not returned. The search had to be suspended at night due to concerns about further ice blocks breaking off from the summit.
Rescue teams are also cross-referencing license plates in the parking lot to determine the number of potential missing persons. However, Walter Milan, a representative of the rescue team, stated that this process could take several hours.
“Fortunately, the weather conditions are good, but the danger still remains”, Milan said.
The site of the glacier collapse on Marmolada Mountain in Italy. (Photo: REUTERS)
It remains unclear what caused the ice column to fall from the mountain, but according to Milan, the heat shock that has swept across Italy since late June may be a contributing factor.
“An unusual heat condition is occurring. Temperatures in recent days at the summit of Marmolada have risen to 10 degrees Celsius. This is an extremely high temperature for the mountain”, Milan stated.
The issue of climate change and global warming has caused the ice column at the summit of Marmolada, like many glaciers worldwide, to shrink over recent decades.
