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yesterday

Birch Glacier collapse destroys 90% of evacuated Swiss village

Debris from the collapse has dammed the River Lonza, triggering evacuations in downstream villages to avert flooding

This photograph shows the small village of Blatten, in the Bietschhorn mountain of the Swiss Alps, destroyed by a landslide after part of the huge Birch Glacier collapsed and swallowed up by the river Lonza the day before, on May 29, 2025.
A satellite image shows the destruction caused by the Birch Glacier's collapse on Wednesday in Switzerland, consisting of a violent surge of ice, rock and mud followed by a dense dust cloud that swallowed the Alpine village of Blatten.
The village of Blatten on May 18, 2025, before it was buried by rock and mud.
A large avalanche with a mixture of ice, rock, snow and water reach the valley floor is pictured in Wiler after the Birch glacier collapsing above Blatten, Switzerland, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP)

Overview

  • On May 28 a 1.5 million cubic metre section of the Birch Glacier collapsed onto the evacuated village of Blatten in Valais, covering or destroying around 90% of its structures.
  • A 64-year-old man remains unaccounted for after search teams using helicopters and thermal drones suspended ground operations because of unstable debris.
  • The landslide has formed a makeshift dam on the River Lonza, creating a swelling lake that prompted precautionary evacuations in villages such as Kippel and Wiler over flood risks.
  • Swiss military engineers and emergency services are deploying pumps, diggers and helicopters to stabilize the debris dam and protect downstream communities.
  • Authorities have pledged financial aid for displaced residents as experts warn that permafrost thaw and accelerated glacier melt could increase the risk of similar disasters.