World War I bombs and grenades uncovered by Italy's melting glaciers

Hundreds of World War I-era bombs, grenades and artillery shells have been uncovered by the melting of ice in Italy’s Dolomite mountains, the Italian army reports.Weapons used by the Italian and Austrian armies during the bitterly fought White War in the region, were found in September after a period of sustained glacial ice melt.The latest finds follow an even bigger tranche of ordnance discovered during the melting over the summer.In a statement, Italian Army officials said: "As the ice retreats, history resurfaces - and with it, dangers from the past. More than a century later, the mountains continue to yield unexploded ordnance from the Great War."It's expected that as climate change further melts the Dolomites glaciers, more of the White War's dangerous legacy will emerge.More than 200 World War I items were left uncovered in the ice melt (Julia Alpine Brigade - Esercito/Cover Images)The officials added: "These complex operations-carried out amidst melting glaciers, steep slopes, and high-altitude terrain-demand a high level of technical expertise and experience."Clearing these areas means eliminating hidden dangers and making the trails-frequented every year by mountaineers, hikers, and tourists-safer."The "White War" was fought between Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces in the freezing, rugged mountain terrain between 1915 and 1918. It included some of the most horrific conditions of the First World War, as troops dug into defensive positions and endured extreme cold amid snow-covered peaks, glaciers and steep mountain slopes.Hikers reported several sightings of unexploded bombs during the summer, mainly around Canal San Bovo in the Primiero Valley, in the eastern Trentino region.The Italian army subsequently carried out searches across several high-altitude areas of Trentino-Alto Adige, where retreating glaciers and melting snow have exposed wartime explosives.The Italian army has found hundreds of shells and grenades in the mountains (Julia Alpine Brigade - Esercito/Cover Images)Recent operations have focused on the Care Alto and Vedretta di Lares areas of the Adamello-Brenta region in Trento, as well as Val Martello and the Stelvio area in Bolzano.The army said munitions had also been found at Cima Tre Cannoni and along the edges of the Livrio glacier.The army said the work aimed to make mountain environments safer for mountaineers, hikers and tourists.The White War was fought at high altitude, where troops endured extreme cold and faced the challenges of snow-covered peaks, glaciers and steep mountain slopes.More than a century later, the retreat of glaciers is exposing remnants of the conflict, including unexploded ordnance that can pose a danger to people exploring the mountains.The army said the risks were not always immediately visible and tended to increase with altitude.Its campaign to locate and neutralise unexploded munitions in the region is continuing as melting ice reveals further wartime remains.