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GLACIORISK EUROPEAN PROJECT
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France (CEMAGREF,
ETNA,
ONF-RTM,
LGGE-CNRS), Italy (CNR-IRPI,
SMS/Nimbus), Norway (UOSLO,
NVE),
Iceland (UI
(IS)), Austria (DGGS),
Switzerland (VAW-ETHZ) |
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GLACIER "GRANDES JORASSES"
Risk type: glacier flood and ice avalanches
Glacier list |
Statistics
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| Type: |
Hanging glacier |
| Country: |
Italy |
| Region: |
Aosta Valley |
| Massif/Ice Cap: |
Monte Bianco |
| Municipality: |
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| Municipality code: |
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| Location: |
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| Latitude (°, cent): |
45.87 N |
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| Longitude (°, cent): |
6.99 E |
| Surface (km2): |
0.895 |
| Lenght (km): |
2.35 |
| Width (km): |
|
| Min. altitude (m): |
2499 |
| Max. altitude (m): |
4200 |
| Orientation (°) |
180 |
| Slope (°) |
34 |
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EVENT: Date
31/5/1998
- Date quality: |
 |
| Type: |
Ice avalanches |
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| Description |
150.000 m3 of ice newly collapsed from "Whymper" hanging glacier (about 25.000 m2 of surface). The ice avalanche stopped at 500 m of distance from Le Pont village (bottom of Ferret valley) covering 3 km of distance and 2200 m of difference of altitude, through slopes with average inclination of 36°. |
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Effects: |
No damages were reported. The path of this ice avalanche has been very different from 1952, 1993 and 1997's one: the biggest part of ice swept the snout of Grandes Jorasses glacier, while in the other events it discharged on the snout of Planpincieux glacier. |
| Deaths(#) |
0 |
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Injuried (#) |
0 |
| Note |
Measurements on glacier were stopped in the months before, so it had been impossible to predict the event. |
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DAMAGES |
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| Type: |
None |
Description: |
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BIBLIOGRAPHY |
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Cerutti A. V., 1997 - Crollo della fronte del ghiacciaio sommitale delle Grandes Jorasses (Monte Bianco) il 30-31 maggio 1998. Geogr. Fis. Dinam. Quat., 20 (1997), p. 355-357. |
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Funk M., 1999 - Eboulements de rochers et chutes de séracs sur le versant sud du massif du Mont Blanc. Mont Blanc, n. 8 (16), 1999. |
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EVENT: Date
24/1/1997
- Date quality: |
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| Type: |
Ice avalanches |
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| Description |
During the night about 20.000 m3 of ice detached from the hanging glacier "Whimper". |
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Effects: |
The ice-avalanche didn't reach the bottom of Ferret valley, and no damages were reported. |
| Deaths(#) |
0 |
|
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Injuried (#) |
0 |
| Note |
A great crevasse appeared on the glacier already during summer 1996, and it was noticed by local mountain guides. This phenomenon suggested an high risk of a huge serac fall, so local authorities charged VAW of Zurich of surveying the hanging. In december 1996 a measurement system was set up on the glacier in order to check ice surface velocities, and to try in forecasting the moment of the ice-fall. This one was successfully predicted three days in advance. In a first time, it was supposed that the great crevasse formed because of an increment of ice temperature in deepness, that would have accelerate ice sliding. During summer 1997 ice temperature measurement were carried out, and values of -4/-5 °C were reported near the bedrock, so it isn't possible to attribute glacier instability to a warming of ice. The reasons of this phenomenon remain quite unknown. |
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DAMAGES |
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| Type: |
None |
Description: |
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BIBLIOGRAPHY |
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Funk M., 1999 - Eboulements de rochers et chutes de séracs sur le versant sud du massif du Mont Blanc. Mont Blanc e dintorni, n. 8 (16), 1999 |
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EVENT: Date
2/8/1993
- Date quality: |
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| Type: |
Ice avalanches |
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| Description |
At 4.15 A.M. an ice avalanche detached from the high hanging glacier at 4050 m (so called "Whimper" glacier). The serac was 70 m high and 60 m large: the avalanche covered a distance of 2000 m through slopes with an average inclination of 45°, stopping around 3100 m on Planpincieux glacier. |
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Effects: |
The avalanche killed 8 mountaineers that were climbing at 3400 m on the glacier, towards Grandes Jorasses peak. |
| Deaths(#) |
8 |
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Injuried (#) |
0 |
| Note |
|
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DAMAGES |
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| Type: |
None |
Description: |
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BIBLIOGRAPHY |
|
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, 1993 - "Neve e Valanghe" review, n. 20, p. 48-49 |
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EVENT: Date
22/8/1974
- Date quality: |
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| Type: |
Glacier flood (contain both lakes and water pocket) |
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| Description |
Emptying of an internal water pocket. |
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Effects: |
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| Deaths(#) |
0 |
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Injuried (#) |
0 |
| Note |
|
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DAMAGES |
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| Type: |
None |
Description: |
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BIBLIOGRAPHY |
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, - Dal Molin (personal communication). |
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EVENT: Date
21/12/1952
- Date quality: |
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| Type: |
Ice avalanches |
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| Description |
A huge avalanche of ice and snow reached the village of Planpincieux (Val Ferret). Its origin is unknown (serac fall from the high hanging glacier, called Whimper glacier ?) |
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Effects: |
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| Deaths(#) |
0 |
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Injuried (#) |
0 |
| Note |
|
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DAMAGES |
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| Type: |
None |
Description: |
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BIBLIOGRAPHY |
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Funk M., 1999 - Eboulements de rochers et chutes de séracs sur le versant sud du massif du Mont Blanc Mont Blanc e dintorni, 8 (16), 1999. |
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EVENT: Date
//
- Date quality:1920 circa |
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| Type: |
Glacier flood (contain both lakes and water pocket) |
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| Description |
Emptying of an internal water pocket. |
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Effects: |
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| Deaths(#) |
0 |
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Injuried (#) |
0 |
| Note |
|
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DAMAGES |
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| Type: |
None |
Description: |
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BIBLIOGRAPHY |
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, - Dal Molin (personal communication). |
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