We share our grief with those who lost we hope that all residents who lived in the area are healthy and nothing would happen to anyone

 

#A natural_accident_in_Switzerland

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We share our grief with those who lost we hope that all residents who lived in the area are healthy and nothing would happen to anyone.

A natural accident in Switzerland

A landslide in the Swiss Alps, triggered by a glacier collapse, has created a new lake by blocking a river, causing flooding and threatening nearby villages. The incident, which involved the Birch glacier and the village of Blatten in the Valais region, resulted in the destruction of much of the village and a large debris dam. 

Mountain slide seen in Switzerland after glacier collapse; Swiss Alps village Blatten buried.

views  30 May 2025

The collapse of a glacier in Switzerland resulted in the village of Blatten being buried in ice, mud, and rock, leading scientists to question climate change's possible role. 

0:00 - 1:05 Glacier collapse and avalanche in Switzerland mountains caught on video

1:06 - 1:56 Blatten, Switzerland buried after glacier collapse

1:57 - 2:45 How did massive glacier collapse in Swiss Alps happen? Swiss glaciologists explains

2:46 - 3:24 Evacuations due to avalanche in Switzerland

3:25 - 3:45 Glaciologist reaction to avalanche hitting Blatten: 'Devastating'

3:46 - 4:41 Aerial views of Swiss Alps village buried after glacier collapse

4:42 - 6:18 Did climate change cause glacier collapse in Switzerland?

6:19 - 8:48 More raw footage of Blatten after Swiss Alps glacier collapse and glaciologist reaction to 'rare' natural disaster

Glacier collapse destroys Swiss village of Blatten – More melting giants to follow?

Source(s): Onewater

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A catastrophic glacier collapse on May 28, 2025, buried most of the Swiss village of Blatten, located in the southern canton of Valais, under a massive avalanche of ice, rock, and mud.

Local authorities are calling it a "total disaster." While the collapse of the Birch Glacier is a devastating blow, the majority of the village's 300 residents and their livestock were rescued thanks to a timely evacuation last week, although one person is still missing, according to Matthias Ebener, head of information for the regional emergency response team.

The event, which occurred at around 3:30 p.m. local time, was so powerful that it registered as a 3.1 magnitude earthquake. Swiss media, showed videos and images of large parts of the village, including the church, buried under the rubble, leading residents to fear that they have lost their homes. Large quantities of ice, snow, water, and rocks had already fallen into the valley during the night before the main landslide.

Dramatic developments after evacuation - warnings not in vain

Initial concerns focused on a possible landslide above Blatten. However, the destabilization of the Birch Glacier below this slope ultimately triggered the disaster. An estimated 9 million tons of material that had previously been supported by the glacier were involved in this massive landslide.

The canton of Valais had already anticipated the instability of the glacier, which is why Blatten was completely evacuated last week. The authorities had observed how the speed of the glacier had increased from 0.8 meters per day to 1.5 to 2 meters, putting Blatten in the danger zone. At that point, it was estimated that up to three million cubic meters of rock had already broken off and rolled onto the glacier. Raphaël Mayoraz, head of the Valais Natural Hazards Service, told SRF that he could not rule out the evacuation of further areas of the valley. The situation was unprecedented and a "worst-case scenario" had been reached, he was quoted as saying.

Authorities and residents shocked - federal councillors on site

Despite extensive preparations, those responsible, including Matthias Bellwald, mayor of Blatten, expressed their deep concern. "The unimaginable has happened, the visible village is lost," Bellwald said at a press conference. "I am glad we were able to evacuate the people. We have lost the village, but not its heart." Franz Ruppen, the State Councilor responsible for the environment in the canton of Valais, who also spoke at the press conference, echoed this assessment and said, according to SRF: "It is a total disaster that goes far beyond what people in the region thought." Security Councilor Stéphane Ganzer added: "We had prepared for this, we had taken the right measures." However, he emphasized: "No matter how well you anticipate, when events occur, nature will dominate."

Two of Switzerland's seven federal councilors, Albert Rösti and Martin Pfister, also attended the press conference, underscoring the seriousness of the situation. Federal President Karin Keller-Sutter wrote earlier on X: "It's terrible to lose your home. My thoughts are with the residents of Blatten at this time."

Climate change as a factor - the International Year of Glaciers 2025

The exact causes of the glacier collapse on the Kleines Nesthorn are not yet fully understood. Geologist Fabian Reist said last week that climate change, which is causing glaciers to melt worldwide, is probably only one factor. Other geological processes and weather events may also have played a role.

Nevertheless, the role of climate change in destabilizing alpine glaciers is undeniable. Rising temperatures cause glaciers to lose ice and stability. The melting of permafrost, which acts as a natural glue in the mountains, further contributes to instability. Events such as those in Blatten could become more frequent in the future as climate change puts further pressure on the sensitive ecosystems of high mountain ranges. In 2025, the International Year of Glaciers and Polar Regions, the global community will focus on the importance of these ice masses for the world's climate and as freshwater reservoirs. The events in Blatten dramatically underscore the urgency of researching the effects of climate change on these sensitive natural landscapes and taking measures to adapt and protect them.

The primary mountain flank that originally raised concerns remains unstable and poses the risk of further landslides that could trigger even stronger seismic events. According to reports in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) and SRF, the canton of Valais has asked the army for assistance, including pumps to secure the riverbed, clearing equipment, evacuation equipment, and air transport. A reconnaissance unit has already been dispatched to the region. Officials have not ruled out further evacuations in the Lötschental valley. More information is expected as the larger mountainside continues to destabilize.