Blatten Switzerland: Alpine village largely destroyed after Swiss glacier collapses
A vast section of glacier collapsed onto the slopes of a southern Swiss mountain on Wednesday, unleashing a torrent of rock, ice and mud that submerged most of the Alpine village of Blatten in the Lötschental valley.
Authorities had evacuated the community weeks earlier, yet a 64-year-old man is now missing and rescue operations using thermal drones are under way.
Footage shared on social media and Swiss broadcasters depicted a dramatic deluge of brown sludge engulfing buildings and coating the village in debris.
According to Stephane Ganzer, head of security for the Valais region, "about 90% of the village is covered or destroyed" in what he called "a major catastrophe."
The regional government confirmed that a significant mass of the Birch Glacier above Blatten had broken away, triggering the slide. The debris also blocked the Lonza River, heightening fears of additional flooding should the natural dam break.
'There's a risk that the situation could get worse,' Ganzer said, noting the river's blockage and potential instability.
A huge mass of rock and ice from a glacier thundered down a Swiss mountainside on Wednesday, sending plumes of dust skyward and coating with mud nearly all of an Alpine village that authorities had evacuated earlier this month as a precaution.
Video on social media and Swiss TV… pic.twitter.com/MXuhgyj9EB — We The Media (@WeTheMedia17) May 29, 2025
In a statement, Swiss Environment Minister Albert Rösti described the event as "extraordinary" and pledged federal support for affected villagers.
Local officials and crisis teams have been deployed by air to assess damage.
Roughly 300 residents and all livestock were evacuated earlier this month amid concerns that the glacier's mass — estimated at 1.5 million cubic metres — was increasingly unstable. The Swiss Army had already been mobilised as glacial movement accelerated.
The incident underscores growing concern among glaciologists over the rapid melting and retreat of Switzerland's glaciers, driven by climate change.
The country lost 4% of its glacier volume in 2023 alone, following a record 6% reduction in 2022 — the two largest declines ever recorded.
Switzerland, home to more glaciers than any other European country, has faced similar threats in recent years. In 2023, residents of Brienz narrowly escaped disaster when a rockslide stopped just short of their village.
The area has been evacuated multiple times since.
The situation in Blatten remains precarious, with emergency crews working against the clock to locate the missing man and stabilise the area.
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Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
Blatten Switzerland: Alpine village largely destroyed after Swiss glacier collapses
A vast section of glacier collapsed onto the slopes of a southern Swiss mountain on Wednesday, unleashing a torrent of rock, ice and mud that submerged most of the Alpine village of Blatten in the Lötschental valley. Authorities had evacuated the community weeks earlier, yet a 64-year-old man is now missing and rescue operations using thermal drones are under way. Footage shared on social media and Swiss broadcasters depicted a dramatic deluge of brown sludge engulfing buildings and coating the village in debris. According to Stephane Ganzer, head of security for the Valais region, "about 90% of the village is covered or destroyed" in what he called "a major catastrophe." The regional government confirmed that a significant mass of the Birch Glacier above Blatten had broken away, triggering the slide. The debris also blocked the Lonza River, heightening fears of additional flooding should the natural dam break. 'There's a risk that the situation could get worse,' Ganzer said, noting the river's blockage and potential instability. A huge mass of rock and ice from a glacier thundered down a Swiss mountainside on Wednesday, sending plumes of dust skyward and coating with mud nearly all of an Alpine village that authorities had evacuated earlier this month as a precaution. Video on social media and Swiss TV… — We The Media (@WeTheMedia17) May 29, 2025 In a statement, Swiss Environment Minister Albert Rösti described the event as "extraordinary" and pledged federal support for affected villagers. Local officials and crisis teams have been deployed by air to assess damage. Roughly 300 residents and all livestock were evacuated earlier this month amid concerns that the glacier's mass — estimated at 1.5 million cubic metres — was increasingly unstable. The Swiss Army had already been mobilised as glacial movement accelerated. The incident underscores growing concern among glaciologists over the rapid melting and retreat of Switzerland's glaciers, driven by climate change. The country lost 4% of its glacier volume in 2023 alone, following a record 6% reduction in 2022 — the two largest declines ever recorded. Switzerland, home to more glaciers than any other European country, has faced similar threats in recent years. In 2023, residents of Brienz narrowly escaped disaster when a rockslide stopped just short of their village. The area has been evacuated multiple times since. The situation in Blatten remains precarious, with emergency crews working against the clock to locate the missing man and stabilise the area.
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