Part of Swiss glacier breaks off after residents evacuated
The debris from the Trift glacier tumbled onto another glacier below but did not reach inhabited areas.
Part of a glacier in the Swiss Alps has broken off and tumbled onto another glacier below after more than 200 people in a small nearby town were evacuated as a precaution.
Authorities ordered a partial evacuation of Saas-Grund on Saturday after radar surveillance of the Trift glacier, above the southern town, showed the glacier’s snout moving at a rate of up to 51 inches per day.
Its pace accelerated during the night, and Valais canton (state) police said a large part of the snout broke off on Sunday morning.
The debris tumbled onto another glacier below but did not reach inhabited areas.
Police also said the evacuated residents are free to return to home, but an area immediately under the Trift glacier will remain closed to walkers.
