A huge glacier crashed down a Swiss mountain and destroyed an entire village on Wednesday. Scientists saw the disaster coming and moved all 300 people away from their homes on May 19. Helicopters even carried sheep and cows to safety before the ice and rocks came down. The village sat empty when nature struck with full force.
Video showed the massive glacier breaking apart and sliding down the mountainside. Tons of ice and rocks buried everything under dozens of yards of debris. The collapse blocked a local river and created a new lake that worries officials. One 64-year-old man remains missing and rescue teams stopped searching because conditions stayed dangerous.
Climate change caused the disaster according to glacier expert Christophe Lambiel from the University of Lausanne. Warming temperatures melted the frozen ground above the glacier and made rocks fall down onto the ice. The extra weight finally made the whole glacier give way. Swiss Environment Minister Albert Rösti called the event absolutely extraordinary.
Mayor Matthias Bellwald told reporters his community lost their village but saved their lives. He promised the people would work together and rebuild their mountain home. The evacuation prevented what could have been a terrible tragedy with many deaths.
Video showed the massive glacier breaking apart and sliding down the mountainside. Tons of ice and rocks buried everything under dozens of yards of debris. The collapse blocked a local river and created a new lake that worries officials. One 64-year-old man remains missing and rescue teams stopped searching because conditions stayed dangerous.
Climate change caused the disaster according to glacier expert Christophe Lambiel from the University of Lausanne. Warming temperatures melted the frozen ground above the glacier and made rocks fall down onto the ice. The extra weight finally made the whole glacier give way. Swiss Environment Minister Albert Rösti called the event absolutely extraordinary.
Mayor Matthias Bellwald told reporters his community lost their village but saved their lives. He promised the people would work together and rebuild their mountain home. The evacuation prevented what could have been a terrible tragedy with many deaths.
