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GLACIER "PLANPINCIEUX"
Risk type: glacier flood and ice avalanches

Glacier list | Statistics
 

Type:  Cirque glacier
Country:  Italy
Region:  Aosta Valley
Massif/Ice Cap:  Monte Bianco
Municipality:  Courmayeur
Municipality code:  
Location:  
 
Latitude (°, cent):  45.88 N
Longitude (°, cent):  6.99 E
Surface (km2):  1.327
Lenght (km):  2.45
Width (km):  
Min. altitude (m):  2345
Max. altitude (m):  3660
Orientation (°)  180
Slope (°)  30

EVENT:  Date  /8/1984 -  Date quality:   

Type:  Glacier flood (contain both lakes and water pocket)
Description  Emptying of an internal water pocket.
Effects:  Road and bridge damaged.
Deaths(#)  0
Injuried (#)  0
Note  

DAMAGES    

Type:  Roads Description:

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

, - Dal Molin (personal communication).

EVENT:  Date  21/12/1952 -  Date quality:   

Type:  Ice avalanches
Description  An enormous avalanche covered a distance of 4000 m (horizontal projection), and a difference of altitude of 3000 m. The avalanche originated itself from the high ridge of Grandes Jorasses, sweeping the below glaciers and causing the collapse of Planpincieux snout.
Effects:  Buildings were damaged. The accumulation of ice formed a small glacier below the snout of Planpincieux glacier, around 2000 m of altitude, that survived also during the warm summers of 1950's. In the 1960's, thanks to an increment of snow and ice accumulation, this small glacier increased reaching the lowest altitude of 1800 m.
Deaths(#)  0
Injuried (#)  0
Note  

DAMAGES    

Type:  Buildings Description:

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Cerutti A. V., 1953 - La frana di Chamin e la valanga di Planpincieux. Rivista Club Alpino It. N.72, p. 236-238
Cerutti A. V., 1971 - Relazioni sulla campagna glaciologica 1971 Boll. Comitato Glac. It. Serie II, n. 19, p. 98-99

EVENT:  Date  17/6/1929 -  Date quality:   

Type:  Glacier flood (contain both lakes and water pocket)
Description  Emptying of an internal water pocket, that occurred in the morning. The water flow covered a distance of about 13 km, and the wave in Dora Baltea river was observed also at Morgex.
Effects:  The mass of water, mud, and rocks, burst through the small valley of Montita stream (the bed of which was largely modified, enlarged till 80 m), spreading in the wood between Montita and Meyen; the street of Val Ferret was damaged, and a bridge was swept away. Somewhere the flood eroded alluvial soils along Dora di Ferret river.
Deaths(#)  0
Injuried (#)  0
Note  

DAMAGES    

Type:  Farmland, fertile land Description:
Type:  Roads Description:
Type:  Trees Description:

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Capello C. F., 1930 - Relazione sulla campagna glaciologica 1929 Boll. Comitato Glac. It. Serie I, n. 10, p. 238-239.
Sestini A., 1930 - Osservazioni e ricerche sulle valli di Courmayeur Memorie Geologiche e Geografiche di Giotto Dainelli. N. 1, p. 257-258.