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GLACIER "SISSONE"
Risk type: glacier flood (contain both lakes and water pocket)

 Glacier list | Statistics
 
Type:  Cirque glacier
Country:  Italy
Region:  Lombardia
Massif/Ice Cap:  Bernina
Municipality:  
Municipality code:  
Location:  
 
Latitude (°, cent):  6.119 N
Longitude (°, cent):  9.73389 E
Surface (km2):  0.78
Lenght (km):  1.2
Width (km):  0.9
Min. altitude (m):  2550
Max. altitude (m):  3100
Orientation (°)  90
Slope (°)  24

EVENT:  Date  15/9/1950 -  Date quality:   
Type:  Moraine collapse
Description  In the evening of 15th September 1950, around 7 PM, an enormous collapse occurred in the moraine of Sissone Glacier. The weather had been very warm and rainy also on the glacier for all the day. Prof. Nangeroni (University of Milan) excluded that an emptying of a water pocket in the glacier or of a dammed lake could have caused the event. Probably moraine collapsed because, after the great retreat of the below Disgrazia glacier, the ice didn't sustain more the moraine at its foot. The water (by ice-melting, and heavy rain) in the deepness favoured the sliding. The volume of debris detached is higher than 1 mio m3.
Effects:  Collapse produced a big incision in the morain, 600 m long, till 200 m wide and till 60 m deep. A debris-flow spread along the Sissone valley (Malenco valley), destroying four huts, four bridges, and the alpine hut of Club Alpino Italiano called "Nucci". Two hectars of meadows and twenty of grazing grounds were covered by mud. Twelve sheep were killed. Forbicina village was partially invaded by debris.
Deaths(#)  0
Injuried (#)  0
Note  

DAMAGES    

Type:  Agricolture Description:
Type:  Buildings Description:
Type:  Farmland, fertile land Description:
Type:  Roads Description:

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Chiarle M., Mortara G., 2001 - Esempi di rimodellamento di apparati morenici nell'arco alpino italiano. Suppl. Geogr. Fis. Dinam. Quat., V, p. 41-54.
Legione Territoriale Carabinieri di Milano - Gruppo di Sondrio, 1950 - Segnalazione danneggiamenti ai Ministeri competenti.
Mortara G., Dutto F., Godone F., 1995 - Effetti degli eventi alluvionali nell'ambiente proglaciale. La sovraincisione della morena del ghiacciaio del Mulinet (Stura di Valgrande, Alpi Graie). Geogr. Fis. Dinam. Quat., 18, II serie, p. 295-304.
Nangeroni G., 1951 - La frana di Val Sissone. Natura. N.42, p.11-17.
Riva A., 1951 - Relazioni sulla campagna glaciologica 1950 Boll. Comitato Glac. It, II serie, n. 2, p. 118-119.