PERU

An alarming future

An episode from the series FACING CLIMATE

Synopsis

In April 2010, a 300,000 m3 block of ice broke loose from Peru's Mount Hualcán and fell into the lake below, triggering a 20-meter-high wave that washed over the small village of Patriacaca. Today, the inhabitants still live in fear of such a catastrophe happening again.

Peru is home to 71% of the world's tropical glaciers. Over the past 35 years, their surface area has been halved. Melting ice not only impacts biodiversity but above also threatens the surrounding populations. Global warming increases the risk of a "mountain tsunami".

To counter this, a siphoning system has been installed at Palcacocha to reduce the lake level in case of an avalanche.