The intense heat is expected to cause a record number of landslides in the Alps in 2026. (Source: Getty Images)
Traditionally considered the safest time of year for mountain climbing, summer has become a particularly dangerous period in recent years. In the Alps, 2026 saw record-breaking rockfalls, with 450 incidents occurring in the Mont Blanc area alone since the beginning of the year.
Geomorphologist Ludovic Ravanel, Director of Research at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), said this is an unprecedented level of landslide. Temperatures in the area have exceeded 30-35°C, significantly impacting glaciers and long-frozen rock layers. This is also the reason why the number of cliff cracks and landslides this year has increased to an unprecedented level.
Previously, the record was set in 2022 with 300 rockslides throughout the year.
According to Ludovic Ravanel, this situation is directly related to climate change. Scientists compared photographs taken over the past nearly 200 years to identify areas where cliffs have cracked and collapsed, and estimated the volume of rock lost. The results showed that 80-85% of the landslide traces formed in the last 20-30 years, indicating a clear link between rising global temperatures and cliff instability.
The increasingly prolonged and frequent heatwaves are also weakening mountains from within. According to Ravanel, large-scale rockfalls and landslides are now primarily caused by the melting of long-frozen soil and rocks, along with the shrinking of glaciers.
Glaciers exert pressure on mountain slopes, helping to stabilize the terrain. As glaciers thin, this pressure decreases, making the cliffs more prone to cracking and landslides.
In July, two Czech tourists were killed in a rockslide at Mont Blanc. In August, another man died in a similar incident.
Currently, experts and local authorities are not considering restricting residents and tourists from accessing high-altitude areas. However, they advise climbers to exercise extreme caution, as the risk of landslides could remain high in the coming months.