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Swiss Village of Brienz Fully Evacuated as Landslide Risk Escalates

An unprecedented acceleration of ice-thaw-weakened rock has led authorities to ban all entry to Brienz’s valley.

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Overview

  • On June 16, Gemeinde Albula ordered a full evacuation and access prohibition after geologists recorded accelerated movements on the eastern plateau above Brienz.
  • Experts estimate roughly 500,000 cubic meters of unstable rock—equivalent to about 500 single-family homes—could collapse into the valley.
  • Multiple surveillance systems now monitor the slope around the clock, making it one of Europe’s most closely watched potential landslide sites.
  • Heavy precipitation and ongoing permafrost thaw driven by climate change are heightening instability in the Graubünden Alps.
  • The landslide threat follows a late-May collapse in Blatten, prompting the Swiss government to pledge reconstruction aid and consider relocating endangered Alpine communities.