Shale gas causing landslide?

In the Isere region the mountain side above the Lac du Chambon has started to slide into the lake. In certain places it is now moving at 2 metres per day and threatens to dump millions of tons of rock into the lake. Local inhabitants are warned that if the slide is large and sudden the noise and dust will be tremendous, but their homes are not at risk. Ironically, given the debates on shale gas, it seems to be precisely that which is at  the root of the land slip. Numerous escapes of gas have been noted in the lake and the shale of the mountain could rupture causing a massive rock fall, or continue to slide at the more sedate rate seen up to now.

Photo Phillipe Desmaszes AFP

For people living in the area, however, their lives are suffering major disruptions due to road closures, including the essential route via the Chambon tunnel which has been closed for weeks due to continual rock falls. Now work to re-open it has been suspended. Gendarmes are deployed to keep sightseers away; fishing and boats have been forbidden on the lake and the regional council is considering a helicopter service to ferry commuters to work and back.
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