Two years ago, on July 3, 2022, the Marmoladathe “Queen of the Dolomites“, was the scene of a tragedy. At 1.43pm on a torrid summer Sunday, a serac of Punta Rocca broke away and fell into the valley, killing 11 people and injuring 9. The “scar” left on the glacier is still clearly visible today, despite the snow that continues to cover the area.
The massive detachment, described as the worst ever to occur in the Dolomites, involved approximately 63,300 cubic meters of material that moved at a speed of between 50 and 80 meters per second. The mass of ice, equal to three enormous buildings, dragged with it rock and debris for approximately 2.2 kilometers, devastating the path of the “normal route” that leads to Punta Penia, the highest peak in the Dolomites.
The seriousness of the phenomenon was reported in real time by Carlo Budel, manager of the Capanna Punta Penia refuge, who announced via a voice message: “A gigantic piece of glacier broke off and swept away I don’t know how many people.“. This event, unpredictable According to the preliminary investigations judge of the Court of Trento who closed the investigation, it has raised many questions and concerns about the future of the glaciers and the effects of climate change.
In fact, the collapse has been largely attributed to global warming. Abnormal temperatures and summer heat have weakened the structure of the glacier, leading to the detachment of the serac at the worst possible moment, when several groups of climbers were returning from the summit. The Marmolada, a dying glacier, could not withstand the high temperatures, transforming a normal day of hiking into a catastrophe.
Today, two years later, the memory of that tragedy remains indelible. The Dolomites, a symbol of natural beauty and a popular destination for mountain enthusiasts, bear the marks of an event that not only deeply affected local communities and the world of mountaineers, but also highlighted the fragility of our ecosystems in the face of climate change.
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