Hundreds of hikers and tourists were evacuated and several trails closed after a series of rockfalls on Cima Falkner in Italy’s Brenta Dolomites, as experts link a rise in landslides to thawing permafrost.
Visitors have reported hearing loud booms followed by rockfalls and thick dust clouds rising from Monte Pelmo in Val di Zoldo after rocky pinnacles broke off and crashed into the valley in Italy’s Belluno province.
Another collapse was reported at Cima Falkner, an area experts say is eroding due to rising temperatures linked to the climate crisis. No injuries were reported, and the falling debris stopped partway down the mountain.
Aerial footage shows aftermath of rockfalls in Italy’s Brenta Dolomites – video
Rockfalls are a regular occurrence in the Dolomites, but experts have seen a significant increase this year, driven by extreme heat and weather events exacerbated by the climate crisis.
The Italian Alpine Club’s scientific committee president, Piero Carlesi, stated that mountains are always prone to erosion, but the process is now more rapid due to heat and extreme weather events.
Last year, Italian scientists projected that the Marmolada glacier, the largest and most iconic in the Dolomites, could disappear by 2040 due to rapid melting.
Erosion and rockfalls are also increasing across the Alpine range. Bernard Vion, a 66-year-old mountain guide, noted that rockfalls have become more frequent and intense, complicating climbing expeditions.
Vion and other guides have had to constantly monitor the situation and adjust their routes to reduce risks for clients due to the crumbling permafrost, which acts as a binding agent for rocks.
Vion emphasized that the climate breakdown is evident to anyone who observes mountain phenomena, a sentiment shared by many experts who attribute the increased instability to environmental changes.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/30/rockfalls-italy-brenta-dolomites-alps-climate-crisis
