Mont Blanc: Huts evacuated after warning over collapse of huge glacier

A warning has been issued by Italian officials that a huge glacier in Mont Blanc could collapse any time. According to reports by foreign media, the mayor of Courmayeur, Stefano Miserocchi issued an order that the safety provisions are looked after as a set of experts have said that a portion of the glacier was sliding at a speed of 50-60cm in a day. The mayor of Courmayeur said that global warming is causing the ice to break away. The officials have closed the main road and various huts have been evacuated since the warning was issued. 

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Mayor issues statement

The mayor issued a statement where he said that the mountain is experiencing major changes because of global warming and it is now vulnerable. The glacier is temperate and if exposed to extreme climatic conditions, it can react. He also said that the tourist facilities and residential areas are not having any threat but the huts in the Rochefort area were at probable risk. He added that the mountain range is going through a time where it is seeing major changed related to climate and it is affecting it. The highest mountain range of the continent Europe has 11 peaks above 4000 meters located in France and Italy. 

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Italian PM addresses issue at UNGA

The Prime Minister of Italy Minister Giuseppe Conte while addressing at the United Nations General Assembly said the situation is dangerous and could shake everybody. He also said to the delegates that he just received the information on a glacier on the Italian side of Mont Blanc at great risk of collapsing. He said that this is an alarm for everybody in the matter of climate change and nobody can claim that it won't affect them. He says that the incident of the glacier at Mont Blanc should prepare the people. However, the actual time when the collapse can take place is a little tough to forecast. The Alpine glaciers have been melting at a great speed as a result of a rise in global temperatures.

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(With inputs from agencies)