Switzerland has recorded the worst snow melt rate since monitoring began over a century ago. According to an academic study conducted by an expert group at the Swiss Academy of Sciences, at least 3 cubic kilometers of ice was lost in the Alps because of low snowfall in winter and persistent heat waves in summer.<br />''<br />''The study, released yesterday, concluded that more than 6 percent of the glacier volume has been lost.<br />''<br />''Last month, another study revealed that since the early 1930s, at least 1,400 glaciers in Switzerland have lost more than half their total volume.<br />''<br />''According to media reports, many small glaciers have entirely vanished. Study results show that snow cover, which protects the glaciers from the sun, was exceptionally light this year.<br />''<br />''<span style="color: #222222;">In March and June, the Alps faced large amounts of Saharan dust. The contaminated snow absorbed more solar energy and melted faster. The intense summer heat further damaged the ice.</span><br />