Death toll climbs following collapse of a glacier in the northern Italian Alps

At least Seven people have been killed after being caught in an avalanche which was sparked by the collapse of a glacier in the northern Italian Alps

Eight more were injured, with two people suffering serious injuries.

Rescue teams with helicopters and drones have halted their search for 13 still missing due to bad weather.

Video of the incident showed an ice mass collapsing down the slopes of Marmolada, the area’s highest mountain.

We don’t yet know what caused the catastrophic collapse but Italy’s Prime Minister says “without doubt” it’s linked to climate change.

The shifting ice of the high Alps shows how climate change is altering natural landscapes and hazards in ways scientists are still trying to understand.

Four of the seven killed have been identified by rescuers, three of them Italian, including two mountain guides.