Rocks tumble from Germany's highest mountain as permafrost declines

Rock continued to tumble from the Zugspitze, Germany's highest mountain, on Wednesday, as the permafrost binding the peak continues to recede due to climate change, leading to more frequent rockfall.

Several cubic metres of rock have come loose since Tuesday, when the rockfall was first noticed, causing a large cloud of dust.

Franz Dörfler, deputy head of operations at the Grainau Mountain Rescue Service, noted that while rockfalls was no longer an unusual occurrence, the scale of the most recent rockfall was unusual for the 2,962-peak that sits on the German-Austrian border.

Dörfler said it was difficult to assess exactly how much rock had come loose, noting that the area was inaccessible.

Staff at the Zugspitzbahnen railway, which runs almost all the way up the peak, are currently monitoring the situation from a distance, Dörfler said, adding that neither buildings nor paths seem to have been affected by the rockfall.

The rock on the Zugspitze is held together by permafrost, which has been receding due to climate change and rising temperatures, according to the expert.