The small alpine village of Blatten in Switzerland’s Lötschental valley was nearly obliterated on May 28, 2025, when a massive section of the Birch Glacier collapsed, triggering a catastrophic avalanche of ice, mud, and rock. The disaster, which buried approximately 90% of the village, has left one person missing and the community of roughly 300 residents grappling with the loss of their homes.
Catastrophic Glacier Collapse Buries Blatten
At around 3:30 p.m. local time (2:30 p.m. BST) on Wednesday, the Birch Glacier, perched above Blatten in the Valais canton, gave way, sending millions of cubic meters of ice, rock, and mud crashing into the valley below. Drone footage broadcast by Swiss national broadcaster SRF captured the devastating moment, showing a vast plume of dust and a brownish sludge engulfing homes, roads, and the Lonza riverbed. The avalanche, equivalent in force to a 3.1-magnitude earthquake, destroyed or covered about 90% of the village, according to Stephane Ganzer, head of security for the Valais region.
Fortunately, Blatten’s 300 residents and livestock, including 52 cattle airlifted by helicopter, were evacuated on May 19 after geologists detected accelerating cracks in the glacier, averting a higher human toll. However, a 64-year-old man remains missing, with search and rescue operations ongoing, utilizing drones with thermal cameras.
Climate Change and Glacier Instability
The collapse is a stark reminder of the growing risks posed by climate change in the Alps. Swiss glaciers lost 10% of their volume between 2022 and 2023 alone, driven by warming temperatures that destabilize permafrost and increase the likelihood of rockfalls and avalanches. Glaciologist Mylène Jacquemart from ETH Zurich noted that further investigation is needed to determine the exact cause, but the event aligns with warnings about melting glaciers threatening alpine communities. Blatten’s tragedy echoes a 2023 evacuation in Brienz, Switzerland, where a rockslide narrowly missed the village.
Community and Official Response
Blatten’s mayor, Matthias Bellwald, called the event “the unimaginable,” lamenting, “We’ve lost our village,” but vowed that the community would rebuild. Swiss Environment Minister Albert Rösti described it as “an extraordinary event” and pledged government support for recovery efforts. The Swiss army’s disaster relief unit has been mobilized to clear debris and secure the riverbed, as authorities warn of potential further collapses.
What’s Next for Blatten?
With roads closed and the village inaccessible, residents face a long road to recovery. The disaster has prompted calls for urgent climate mitigation to protect other alpine communities. Christian Huggel, a climate professor at the University of Zurich, emphasized that warming permafrost contributed to the instability, signaling more risks ahead.
Search efforts continue for the missing individual, and authorities are monitoring the glacier for additional threats. For the latest updates on Blatten’s recovery and climate-driven disasters, stay tuned to Nuzpost.
