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3w ago

Glacier collapse buries 90% of evacuated Swiss village of Blatten

Government pledges support for displaced villagers; rescue teams search for one missing resident as flood warnings grow from a blocked river.

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)
Image
Blatten, Switzerland, on May 28, 2025.
The village of Blatten on May 18, 2025, before it was buried by rock and mud.

Overview

  • On May 28, a 1.5 million m3 section of the Birch Glacier above Blatten collapsed, sending ice, mud and rock into the evacuated village.
  • About 90 percent of Blatten’s roughly 300 homes and infrastructure were destroyed or buried under debris.
  • A 64-year-old man remains unaccounted for, prompting army deployment and drone-equipped rescue teams to scour the landslide.
  • Debris has dammed the Lonza River, raising flood concerns and spurring officials to monitor water levels and evaluate further evacuations.
  • Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter and Environment Minister Albert Rösti have vowed federal aid and are mobilizing funds and personnel to help rebuild and rehouse affected families.