US EditionInside the Swiss Valley Partially Swallowed by a Glacier
- The Swiss village of Blatten was destroyed by a landslide caused by the Birch Glacier collapse on May 29, 2025, deep in the Alps.
- Worrisome movements on the northern face of Petit Nesthorn in mid-May triggered alerts and marked the start of glacier instability leading to the event.
- The landslide moved an enormous volume of broken ice, rocks, and mud, covering the valley floor with debris reaching depths of up to 100 meters and prompting the safe evacuation of about 300 local inhabitants.
- Mayor Matthias Bellwald said, "We will be able to return very soon," while evacuees like Daniel Ritler described the moment as "like an explosion in my heart."
- Experts warn that retreating glaciers and melting permafrost decrease mountain stability, making natural hazards like landslides more frequent and threatening mountain populations' futures.
24 Articles
24 Articles
In the Swiss canton of Valais, the Alpine commune disappeared under an avalanche of mud and ice on Wednesday 28 May. A week after the disaster, the survivors of the tragedy struggle to find their words and remain locked in their pain.
Rock breaks, a glacier avalanche and an entire village are wiped out. How it happened – an overview.
On 28 May last, in the Swiss canton of Valais, the Birch Glacier gave way, under the weight of the landslides of the summit of the Petit Nesthorn, culminating at more than 3,300 meters above sea level. The collapse almost completely destroyed the village of Blatten, in the Lötschental valley, where an artificial lake was formed at 1,500 meters, causing fear of flooding. It is a national trauma, explains to RFI political scientist Gilbert Casasus…
A Swiss village buried under rubble could be a warning sign. The locals have lost everything and are still in shock, unable to imagine how to rebuild their lives. Villages like Blatten are not considered endangered, but global warming is changing that perception.
Millions of cubic metres of ice and gravel lie on the Swiss mountain village of Blatten. Still a shepherd is missing. And the question remains: How quickly does the enclosed glacier ice melt?
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