A massive mud and rockslide caused an Alpine peak to collapse in an incident experts believe was a result of a recent snow melt.

The rock avalanche happened in the southern flanks of the Fluchthorn mountain, in the Silvretta Alps located on the border between Austria and Switzerland on Sunday, 11th June.

The 3,399-metre (11,152-foot) high mountain also known as Piz Fenga reportedly consists of three summits of which the southern one – the one that collapsed – was the main one and highest.

Reports claimed that a cross at the summit was also destroyed during the giant landslide that started at around 15.30pm.

The main peak reportedly lost about 100 metres (328 feet) from its size as it fell in the western area of the peak, in the Futschoel Valley.

This resulted in the 3,397-metre-tall (11,145 feet) middle peak becoming Fluchthorn’s highest point and the second-highest mountain of the Silvretta Alps.

Footage shot by a member of the Galtuer mountain rescue Patrick Schoepfer and shared by Austrian green politician Gebhard ‘Gebi’ Mair captures both the collapse of the ridge and the resultant rock avalanche.

Schoepfer, who was on a mountain bike tour when the rockslide happened, said he believes it was triggered by climate change.

Many of the mountains in the Alps are supported by a permanent layer of ice just under the surface known as the permafrost, and increasing global warming is causing many peaks to become unstable.

Writing in the Journal of Alpine research, a team including scientists from the Université Savoie Mont-Blanc found that since measurements began in 2010, temperatures have been slowly increasing, in part because of global warming and lower snowfall volumes in winter.

A second video – also shared by Mair – shows a helicopter circumnavigating the peak after the incident.

And Mair’s third video shows a flood lower on the mountain that supposedly emerged from the ice incorporated in the mass that collapsed.

The state of Tyrol said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: “After the rockslide yesterday, Sunday afternoon, in the area of ​​the almost 3,400-metre high ‘Fluchthorn’ in the Silvretta area, a reconnaissance flight with the state’s geology [department] took place today, Monday.

“The demolition point in the high mountains is about nine kilometres [5.6 miles] south of [the village of] Galtuer.

“According to the first findings of the state geology [experts] during the reconnaissance flight, there is at least more than 100,000 cubic metres of material that broke off at 3.05pm.

“It is not yet possible to give an exact indication of the amount of demolition material – measurements for detailed information will be initiated subsequently.

“The affected trail is already largely closed from the Jamtalhuette [mountain refuge and modern training and conference centre].

“Other possible blocks or any other relocations will be checked on the basis of the knowledge gained.”

The state added: “The rockslide and the mudslide it triggered are likely to have reached a length of around two kilometres [1.2 miles].

“The experts from the state geology localise the cause of the rockfall in the rising permafrost in the high mountains – in the course of the reconnaissance flight the experts found exposed ice surfaces.

“According to experts, further rock falls in this high alpine area cannot be ruled out.

“According to the alpine police, no one was injured in the rock fall.”

State officials warned climbing enthusiasts and people in the area to avoid getting near the rockfall trail.