Fluchthorn in the Silvretta Alps is now around 60 feet (19 m) shorter than it was before — and more mountains are expected to follow suit as temperatures thaw the permafrost holding them together.
Part of a Swiss mountain's summit has collapsed, sending more than 3.5 million cubic feet of rock crashing into the valley below. The incident was likely a result of thawing permafrost — and scientists have warned similar events are to be expected as climate change causes ancient frozen ground to degrade.
The main peak of Fluchthorn lost approximately 330 feet . It fell in the western area of the peak, in the Futschöl Valley. The middle peak, which stands at 11,145 feet is now the highest point of the Fluchthorn — meaning the mountain is now around 60 feet shorter than it was before. Most mountain peaks above 8,202 feet in the Alps are covered by permafrost, or permanently frozen ground, which runs deep into cracks in the solid rock, helping to glue them together. Without it, mountainsides can become unstable, leading to landslides and rockfalls.
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