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Graphic shows location of the glacier and section that is on the brink of collapsing.
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CLIMATE CHANGE

Mont Blanc glacier on brink of collapse

By Jordi Bou

September 25, 2019 - Part of a glacier on a mountain in the Mont Blanc range is at risk of collapse, prompting Italian authorities to close roads and evacuate Alpine hamlets.

A section estimated to contain up to 250,000 cubic metres of ice could fall down the mountain, the mayor of the nearby town of Courmayeur, Stefano Miserocchi, has warned.

Roads in the Val Ferret on the Italian side of Mont Blanc have been closed, after experts warned that a section of the glacier was sliding at speeds of 50-60cm per day.

Rising global temperatures are causing the melting of mountain glaciers and the retreat of polar ice sheets.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 25/09/2019; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: Associated Press
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