US EditionSwiss Glacier Collapse Partially Destroys Village of Blatten
- On 28 May 2025, the Birch Glacier gave way due to accumulated materials from avalanches on the Kleines Nesthorn, causing it to collapse and engulf the Swiss village of Blatten beneath a mass of debris.
- In April 2024, a comparable glacier failure occurred at Piz Scerscen close to the border with Italy, indicating a recurring issue of glacier instability likely connected to increasing temperatures.
- Scientists attribute the collapses to climate factors such as warming permafrost and thawing subsoil, which destabilize mountain materials and accelerate glacier movement.
- Michael Huss noted that the rise in similar large-scale incidents suggests we will likely face more of them moving forward, highlighting a continuing increase in associated risks.
- The collapses underline Europe's rapid warming and the urgent need for preparedness, prompting the European Commission to propose emissions cuts by 2 July and plan enhanced climate adaptation efforts.
24 Articles
24 Articles
Natural disaster: Switzerland’s Lötschental is accessible again after a natural disaster in late May caused part of the Birch Glacier to break off. Damage is mounting…
The village of Blatten was almost completely buried under ice, debris and mud last week when the Birch Glacier collapsed.
The proposal is that the village should be rebuilt in a safer location.
Authorities are considering rebuilding the village in another, safer location, but that also depends on the residents.
Swiss glacier collapse partially destroys village of Blatten
One person is missing after a glacier collapsed in the Swiss Alps, burying the village of Blatten. Experts had been monitoring the situation for weeks, as chunks broke off the side of the mountain piling 9 million tons of debris on the glacier below.
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