Swiss Village of Blatten Buried After Glacier Collapse

Blatten, Switzerland — On May 28, 2025, the Alpine village of Blatten in the Valais region was devastated by a massive landslide triggered by the collapse of the Birch Glacier. Approximately 90% of the village was buried under millions of cubic meters of ice, rock, and mud. Fortunately, the 300 residents had been evacuated on May 19 after geologists warned of the glacier's instability.

The landslide, which registered as a 3.1-magnitude seismic event, blocked the Lonza River, creating a natural dam and forming a lake that poses further flood risks. Emergency services, including the Swiss army, have been deployed to manage the crisis, and nearby residents have been evacuated as a precaution.

Experts attribute the disaster to climate change-induced thawing of permafrost, which destabilizes rock formations and increases the likelihood of such collapses. Switzerland has experienced a 10% loss in glacier volume over the past two years, a rate of decline that previously took three decades. This incident underscores the urgent need for global climate action to mitigate the risks posed by melting glaciers.

Blatten's mayor, Matthias Bellwald, expressed deep sorrow at the loss, stating, "We have lost our village, but not our spirit." Officials have pledged to provide full support to those impacted by this disaster.

As rescue efforts continue, authorities are managing flood risks by adjusting the capacity of a downstream dam and evacuating nearby residents. The incident highlights the increasing instability of high mountain environments, potentially linked to long-term climate change impacts.