The serene village of Blatten, nestled in the Swiss Alps, was almost completely obliterated on Wednesday after a substantial glacier broke apart, triggering a catastrophic landslide. Just nine days after the compulsory evacuation of its 300 residents on May 19, the calamity struck, engulfling nearly 90 percent of the village under a torrent of ice, rock, and mud.
According to Matthias Ebener, a spokesperson for the local crisis management team, one individual remains unaccounted for amid the rubble from the Birch Glacier. Drone footage revealed the alarming moment of collapse, which generated a massive plume of dust cascading down the mountainside. A government engineer noted that the glacier, laden with an estimated nine million tons of debris, had been advancing approximately eight to eleven feet per day prior to the incident.
Officials disclosed during a press conference that the damage in Blatten is significant and extensive recovery efforts may take years. Mayor Matthias Bellwald emphasized the village's spirit despite the loss, stating, “We’ve lost the village, but not the heart.” Stéphane Ganzer, a state councilor for Valais Canton, confirmed that the destruction affected 90 percent of the village.
In response to the tragedy, Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter expressed her sorrow on social media, highlighting the loss of homes and extending her thoughts to the affected residents. The landslide, which registered a magnitude of 3.1 on the Richter scale, has raised alarms of potential flooding in the vicinity. Debris has obstructed a nearby riverbed, leading to fears of ice jams and prompting officials to prepare for possible further evacuations.
Regional authorities have requested assistance from the army for pump equipment and debris removal to mitigate impending flood risks. The road connecting Blatten to the neighboring village of Goppenstein is currently closed to all but residents' traffic.
In light of the impending danger, officials had previously evacuated livestock, including 52 cattle, sheep, and rabbits, from the surrounding areas. The airlifting of animals is a typical precaution in the high-altitude Alps during crises. This evacuation approach drew public attention, especially after a video surfaced of an injured cow being airlifted to safety by helicopter.
Incidents similar to Blatten's have occurred in the region before. For instance, in 2023, the nearby village of Brienz faced a comparable disaster when a section of mountain rock fell perilously close to a schoolhouse, forcing its approximately 85 residents to evacuate. Local officials had cautioned against the threats posed by the unstable geological conditions, echoing the urgency of recent events in Blatten.
As recovery efforts begin, the community faces an uncertain future, battling both the loss of their homes and the risks of further geological instability.
According to Matthias Ebener, a spokesperson for the local crisis management team, one individual remains unaccounted for amid the rubble from the Birch Glacier. Drone footage revealed the alarming moment of collapse, which generated a massive plume of dust cascading down the mountainside. A government engineer noted that the glacier, laden with an estimated nine million tons of debris, had been advancing approximately eight to eleven feet per day prior to the incident.
Officials disclosed during a press conference that the damage in Blatten is significant and extensive recovery efforts may take years. Mayor Matthias Bellwald emphasized the village's spirit despite the loss, stating, “We’ve lost the village, but not the heart.” Stéphane Ganzer, a state councilor for Valais Canton, confirmed that the destruction affected 90 percent of the village.
In response to the tragedy, Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter expressed her sorrow on social media, highlighting the loss of homes and extending her thoughts to the affected residents. The landslide, which registered a magnitude of 3.1 on the Richter scale, has raised alarms of potential flooding in the vicinity. Debris has obstructed a nearby riverbed, leading to fears of ice jams and prompting officials to prepare for possible further evacuations.
Regional authorities have requested assistance from the army for pump equipment and debris removal to mitigate impending flood risks. The road connecting Blatten to the neighboring village of Goppenstein is currently closed to all but residents' traffic.
In light of the impending danger, officials had previously evacuated livestock, including 52 cattle, sheep, and rabbits, from the surrounding areas. The airlifting of animals is a typical precaution in the high-altitude Alps during crises. This evacuation approach drew public attention, especially after a video surfaced of an injured cow being airlifted to safety by helicopter.
Incidents similar to Blatten's have occurred in the region before. For instance, in 2023, the nearby village of Brienz faced a comparable disaster when a section of mountain rock fell perilously close to a schoolhouse, forcing its approximately 85 residents to evacuate. Local officials had cautioned against the threats posed by the unstable geological conditions, echoing the urgency of recent events in Blatten.
As recovery efforts begin, the community faces an uncertain future, battling both the loss of their homes and the risks of further geological instability.
