A glacier collapsed in Italian Alps

Part of a mountain glacier collapsed in Italian Alps.

• The avalanche took place on the Marmolada (3300 m), which is the highest peak in the Dolomites.
• It is a range in the eastern Italian Alps straddling the regions of Trento and Veneto.
• It was not clear what caused the ice to break way but an early summer heatwave across Italy saw temperature rise abruptly, including on the Marmolada. 
  

About the Alps:

• The Alps are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies in south-central Europe.
• The mountain range stretches approximately 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) in a crescent shape across eight Alpine countries: France, Switzerland, Monaco, Italy, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, and Slovenia.
• The Alps are an interzonal mountain system (Orobiome), or a “transition area” between Central and Mediterranean Europe.
• The Alps have high habitat diversity, with 200 habitats classified throughout the mountain range. This mountain range is home to a high level of biodiversity.
  
  
  Rivers:
  • The Alps provide lowland Europe with drinking water, irrigation, and hydroelectric power.
  • Although the area is only about 11% of the surface area of Europe, the Alps provide up to 90% of water to lowland Europe.
  • Major European rivers flow from the Alps, including the Rhine, the Rhône, the Inn, and the Po.
• Glaciers:
  • The major glacierized areas in the Alps are situated along the crest of the mountain chain, with the largest glaciers often found at the highest elevations. There are smaller glaciers scattered throughout the Alps.