IAG Photo Contest – winner July 2024
The winner of the IAG Photo Contest in May 2024 is Hanne Hendrickx (Germany)! Find below her photo and descriptive text.
If you want to participate in the contest, find the rules, guidelines and details on the procedure here.
Thunderstorm aftermath: The August 2018 debris flow event in Arolla (Wallis, Switzerland)
by Hanne Hendrickx, Germany
In this captivating photograph, taken on August 5, 2018, a debris flow event unfolded in a picturesque alpine valley. The debris flow, triggered by an hour of intense, localized evening thunderstorms, cascaded down the mountainside, reaching the valley bottom and threatening the nearby camping ground of Arolla. The sediment originates from the La Roussette rock glacier and the La Tsa morainic bastion. Notably, the cirque to the left did not contribute to any debris flow event. Mont Collon towers in the background, overseeing the dramatic alpine landscape, its snow-capped peak partially shrouded in clouds. The main river, Borgne, winds through the valley, its bed visibly saturated with sediment. On the right, one can observe the location where the Tsjijiore Nouve glacier once extended its tongue, now a silent testament to the valley’s glacial history. This image beautifully captures the dynamic landscape of this alpine region.