On May 28, the Birch Glacier catastrophically collapsed, engulfing the village of Blatten in seconds. Glaciologist Olivier Gagliardini had warned of this disaster, emphasizing the glacier's instability due to decades of geological processes and the impact of climate change. The Petit Nesthorn's gradual deterioration led to an accumulation of stones that ultimately overwhelmed the glacier. The significant weight imbalance—nine million tons of stones overwhelming three million tons of ice—contributed to the collapse. Gagliardini stresses that while the link between the avalanche and rising temperatures is complex, climate change undeniably affects mountain stability.
The avalanche of Birch Glacier in Blatten was an expected disaster, indicative of the cascading phenomena of climate change's impact on mountain stability.
The Petit Nesthorn's collapse began decades ago, signifying a complex interplay between geological conditions and climate factors affecting stability.
Gagliardini notes the volume of the avalanche comprised nine million tons of rock atop three million tons of glacier ice, highlighting the disaster's sheer scale.
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