A massive glacier collapse in southern Switzerland has buried most of the evacuated village of Blatten under mud, rock, and ice, leaving one person missing and raising the threat of blocked river flows.
In short:
- A large section of the Birch Glacier broke off above the Lötschental valley, releasing a surge of debris that covered about 90% of Blatten, a village of 300 people that had been evacuated on May 19.
- Authorities said one person remains missing after the collapse, which also buried the Lonza riverbed and could lead to dammed water and further hazards.
- Emergency services closed access to the valley, while Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter expressed support for the displaced community, promising solidarity.
Key quote:
“An unbelievable amount of material thundered down into the valley.”
— Matthias Ebener, spokesperson for local authorities in the southwestern canton of Valais
Why this matters:
Switzerland’s Alpine villages have long been seen as stable havens, but melting glaciers and destabilized mountain slopes are turning these once-predictable landscapes into zones of mounting risk. Climate change accelerates glacial melt, reducing the ice that once held rocky slopes in place and increasing the chances of sudden collapses. What happened in Blatten is a warning: As permafrost thaws and weather patterns shift, communities built on centuries of tradition may face more frequent and violent geological threats. It’s not only about property loss or emergency response — these disasters also reshape the land and alter water systems, from river flow to potable water supplies.
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