Switzerland: Massive Glacier Collapse Destroys Part of Blatten Village, Earthquake Recorded

The Swiss village of Blatten, located in the canton of Valais, was largely destroyed on Wednesday, May 28, by a massive collapse of the Birch Glacier. The village, home to around 300 residents, had been fully evacuated nine days earlier due to the imminent risk. One person is still reported missing.

Expected Landslide Causes Widespread Destruction

The collapse occurred in the early afternoon, sending millions of cubic meters of rocks, ice, and debris hurtling down into the Lonza Valley. The debris cloud was so powerful it surged across the valley and climbed the opposite slope. Authorities reported that the impact triggered a 3.1-magnitude earthquake on the Richter scale.

Preliminary tremors had been recorded as early as Tuesday evening, with two significant collapses occurring at 6 p.m. and 4 a.m. the following morning. But the main landslide came mid-day, when the Birch Glacier—destabilized by climate change—released most of its mass. The glacier had been advancing up to 10 meters per day toward the village. Rapid snowmelt in the mid and high mountain areas also contributed to the instability.

Hydrological Risk Contained but Monitored

The landslide completely buried a local river, leading to the gradual formation of a small lake. While officials remain cautiously optimistic, preventive measures have been implemented. “The Ferden dam nearby was preemptively emptied,” said Raphaël Mayoraz, head of the Valais Natural Hazards Service, during a press conference. He did not rule out the possibility of the lake overflowing the dam but added, “We will take every necessary precaution.”

Spectacular footage of the landslide shared on social media captured the scale of the disaster. Blatten, entirely evacuated for over a week, lay directly in the path of the glacier collapse. Many homes have been reduced to rubble.