Swiss villages on high alert after glacier collapse and landslide buries Blatten

By Abby Chitty with AP, EBU

Published connected 30/05/2025 - 19:20 GMT+2•Updated 19:21

Authorities successful confederate Switzerland are connected precocious alert arsenic concerns turn complete imaginable flooding on nan Lonza River pursuing nan illness of nan Birch Glacier earlier this week.

A monolithic avalanche of stone and crystal swept down into nan Lötschental valley, burying overmuch of nan Alpine colony of Blatten nether mud and debris. Officials study that 90% of nan colony has been destroyed.

The illness caused debris to capable nan furniture of nan Lonza River, creating a reservoir and causing a reservoir to shape upstream. Officials pass that if nan reservoir gives way, nan resulting surge could flood communities downstream.

Authorities person begun dismantling pedestrian bridges and reinforcing captious infrastructure to hole for imaginable flooding successful Gampel and residents person been advised to put emergency accommodation successful lawsuit of evacuation.

"I didn't slumber past night," 1 female told reporters. "We were perpetually waiting - if thing happens, we person to go."

To mitigate nan risk, authorities person emptied nan Ferden reservoir downstream, hoping it tin sorb immoderate of nan imaginable overflow if location is simply a breach.

The Swiss service has been deployed to nan region but is presently incapable to behaviour crushed operations owed to ongoing instability.

In Blatten, nan devastation is extensive. Aerial footage shows homes submerged successful heavy mud, pinch roads and structures either buried aliases swept away.

Authorities had evacuated much than 300 people, arsenic good arsenic livestock, from Blatten colony arsenic a precaution earlier this month, but 1 man remains missing pursuing nan incident.

However, section constabulary opportunity nan hunt and rescue cognition has been temporarily suspended because of falling debris.

President Karin Keller-Sutter visited nan region earlier connected Friday.