A massive section of the Birch Glacier collapsed in the Swiss Alps on Wednesday, unleashing a powerful landslide of ice, mud, and rock that buried nearly the entire village of Blatten in the Valais canton, just over a week after residents were ordered to evacuate.
Authorities confirmed that one person is missing and warned that recovery could take years, as drone footage captured the dramatic moment the glacier broke away, sending a towering plume of dust cascading down the mountainside.
The glacier, burdened by approximately 9 million tons of debris, had been inching steadily, up to 11 feet per day, toward the Lötschental Valley in recent weeks, prompting evacuations of the village’s 300 residents.
“We’ve lost the village, but not the heart,” said mayor Matthias Bellwald at a news conference on Wednesday.
Officials estimate that 90% of Blatten has been buried, according to Stéphane Ganzer, a state councillor for Valais. The destruction has also closed the main road connecting Blatten to the nearby village of Goppenstein, cutting off access for all except local residents.
Earthquake and flooding threat
The landslide registered as a 3.1 magnitude earthquake, and emergency teams are now closely monitoring a blocked riverbed nearby, which poses a significant risk of ice jams and flooding. Authorities are not ruling out further evacuations and have requested assistance from the Swiss Army to deploy pumps and debris-clearing equipment.
Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter shared a photo of the devastation, expressing her condolences, “It is terrible to lose a home. I’m thinking of the people of Blatten.”
A precarious wait and ongoing threats
For nearly two weeks, the fractured glacier loomed ominously above Blatten, a picturesque Alpine hamlet known for its serene beauty and traditional farming lifestyle. As the threat grew, livestock were evacuated, including 52 cattle, sheep, and rabbits. A widely shared video of a cow being airlifted to safety underscored the seriousness of the situation.
Authorities confirmed that one person is missing and warned that recovery could take years, as drone footage captured the dramatic moment the glacier broke away, sending a towering plume of dust cascading down the mountainside.
The glacier, burdened by approximately 9 million tons of debris, had been inching steadily, up to 11 feet per day, toward the Lötschental Valley in recent weeks, prompting evacuations of the village’s 300 residents.
“We’ve lost the village, but not the heart,” said mayor Matthias Bellwald at a news conference on Wednesday.
Officials estimate that 90% of Blatten has been buried, according to Stéphane Ganzer, a state councillor for Valais. The destruction has also closed the main road connecting Blatten to the nearby village of Goppenstein, cutting off access for all except local residents.
Earthquake and flooding threat
The landslide registered as a 3.1 magnitude earthquake, and emergency teams are now closely monitoring a blocked riverbed nearby, which poses a significant risk of ice jams and flooding. Authorities are not ruling out further evacuations and have requested assistance from the Swiss Army to deploy pumps and debris-clearing equipment.
Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter shared a photo of the devastation, expressing her condolences, “It is terrible to lose a home. I’m thinking of the people of Blatten.”
A precarious wait and ongoing threats
For nearly two weeks, the fractured glacier loomed ominously above Blatten, a picturesque Alpine hamlet known for its serene beauty and traditional farming lifestyle. As the threat grew, livestock were evacuated, including 52 cattle, sheep, and rabbits. A widely shared video of a cow being airlifted to safety underscored the seriousness of the situation.
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