Italian authorities announced today, Saturday, that the final death toll from an avalanche in the mountains in the north of the country has reached 11 people.
She said all of the victims were identified almost a week after a piece of the glacier broke off, sending a torrent of ice, rocks and debris down on the climbers below.
Officer Giampetro Lago, who led the forensic team to identify the remains, said the last climber had been identified and there were “no elements” at this time that would suggest an increase in the death toll.
A block the size of an apartment building broke away from the Marmolada Glacier in the Italian Dolomites on July 3, sending an avalanche of debris off a mountain, a popular summer hiking and hiking destination.
High temperatures likely contributed to the split, experts say, as the glacier has lost mass and volume over the years and is melting faster than usual this summer amid a potentially destabilizing heatwave.
Saturday was a day of mourning in the affected area, known as Val di Fassa.
Source: AB