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2 clusters · 11 sources · 6 days · First seen · Last updated

Rhone Glacier melting in Switzerland

Overview

The Rhône Glacier in Switzerland has experienced rapid melting, losing more than four metres of ice in a single month. Glaciologists from the monitoring service GLAMOS reported an average loss of approximately 10 centimetres per day since mid-June, driven by successive European heat waves and low winter snowfall. Matthias Huss noted that melting is occurring on the surface and from beneath, where meltwater creates cavities that weaken the glacier's structure.

In response to the accelerated retreat, authorities have begun using large white geotextile blankets to cover portions of the glacier. This technique aims to reflect solar radiation and provide insulation to slow the melting rate in specific areas. While these measures are not intended to halt climate change or prevent the eventual disappearance of the glacier, they serve as a temporary mitigation effort for this critical source of the Rhône River.

Entities

Matthias Huss · Rhône Glacier · Switzerland · GLAMOS · Rhône River

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

Timeline

  1. 3 days ago

    [CULTURE] 4 sources
    Rhone Glacier covered in white blankets to slow melting

    White geotextile blankets are being used to cover the Rhone Glacier in the Swiss Alps to reflect solar radiation and temporarily slow the rate of ice melt caused by climate change.

  2. 8 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 7 sources
    Rhône Glacier in Switzerland loses four meters of ice in a month

    Switzerland’s Rhône Glacier shed over four metres of ice in a month, melting at ~10 cm per day due to heat waves and low snowfall, with scientists warning lower sections may vanish in 5‑10 years.

Sources

de.euronews.com · diariodelsur.com.co · es.euronews.com · es.gizmodo.com · extra.com.co · fr.news.yahoo.com · hsbnoticias.com · hu.euronews.com · it.euronews.com · lugaresdeaventura.com · pt.euronews.com