Overview

• On May 28 at about 15:30, roughly 1.5 million cubic metres of ice, snow and rock fell from the Birch glacier, producing a 3.1-magnitude tremor as it engulfed Blatten.
• Authorities evacuated around 300 residents days earlier, preventing confirmed casualties, although a 64-year-old man remains unaccounted for in the debris.
• The Swiss army has joined cantonal teams with engineers and drones to survey destruction and guard against further glacier shifts.
• Crews are scrutinising the Lonza river’s natural dam to evaluate its stability and plan flood defenses for downstream communities.
• Environment Minister Albert Rösti described the collapse as extraordinary and pledged immediate relief for displaced families as experts warn of accelerated glacier loss linked to climate change.