Front edge of unstable Swiss glacier shears off, no one hurt

Published September 18, 2017

Swiss police say the last remaining unstable part of an Alpine glacier has sheared off onto a glacier below without hitting a nearby town or hurting anyone.

Authorities evacuated some 220 people in the southern town of Saas-Grund on Saturday after radar surveillance of the Trift glacier showed its snout was moving fast.

Early Sunday, more than two-thirds of the glacier's front edge — which originally measured some 500,000 cubic meters (17.6 million cubic feet) — collapsed onto another glacier.

Police allowed residents to return home later Sunday.

Valais canton (state) police said Monday the remainder of the unstable glacier's front edge broke off overnight and the area was reopened to walkers. Authorities had been keeping a close eye on the ice, which has been considered unstable for nearly three years.

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https://www.foxnews.com/world/front-edge-of-unstable-swiss-glacier-shears-off-no-one-hurt