Temperature changes were blamed
Monday for an ongoing series of landslides that have disrupted
traffic in the Mont Blanc tunnel through the Alps that links
France and Italy.
The landslides closed the tunnel, a major transport route
from Chamonix in France with Courmayeur in Italy's Aosta Valley,
for short periods on Sunday.
Authorities feared that rising temperatures Monday could
add to the instability and Franco Gabrielli, head of Italy's
civil defence agency, was expected to meet with officials in the
area to discuss the situation.
About 80 residents in the small village of La Palud were
evacuated earlier due to instability in the mountains around
their homes, including Monte di La Saxe above Courmayeur.
The mayor of Courmayeur was worried about warmer
temperatures on Monday raising the risk of further rock and mud
slides that began last week.
"Today, the landslide has again accelerated, temperatures
have risen and with that, the speed (of slides)," Fabrizia
Derriard told local media.
Meanwhile, volunteers and civil defence staff worked
through the Easter holiday weekend, clearing roads and shoring
up protective barriers against further crashing rocks and
sliding earth.
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