Glacial instability in Alps leads to village burial in Blatten

By Kamille Q. Cabreza

A huge portion of the Birch Glacier in the Lötschental valley of Switzerland crashed on May 28, 2025, releasing about 10 million cubic meters of ice, rock, and muck. 

This was confirmed through footage spread online, which showed enormous dust clouds flooding the valley, enveloping the hillsides and around 90 per cent of the Alpine village of Blatten, which had a population of about 300, with a torrent of mud and rocks.

Seismic activity from the landslide was equivalent to a magnitude 3.1 earthquake.

Authorities say they had warned earlier this month that there could be a collapse for weeks due to evidence of ice fissures. 

Timely evacuations prevent mass casualties

Early indications of instability led to the evacuation of Blatten’s 300 inhabitants between May 17 and May 19.

Livestock, including the village’s cherished limping cow, “Loni,” were helped out of the situation.

Despite these efforts, a 64-year-old man is still unaccounted for. The operations of rescue teams deployed to search for this individual have also been suspended due to the difficult conditions, according to a report from Reuters.

River blockage raises flood concerns

Flooding continued on May 29 when the mountain of rubble, almost two kilometers wide, impeded the passage of the River Lonza, forcing a lake to grow amid the ruins, heightening fears that the muck could dislodge and force more evacuations.

Residents of Gampel and Steg, two nearby and lower-lying communities a few kilometres downstream on the Lonza, were asked by local officials later that day to prepare for a potential evacuation in the event of an emergency.

According to Swiss officials, some of the stored water had nevertheless managed to find its way through the debris and run out by the afternoon of May 30, suggesting that it might be returning to the river without increasing the level of risk.

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Climate change implicated in disaster

Experts blame the collapse on elements brought on by climate change, such as faster glacier melt and deteriorating permafrost.

Over the course of five years, the Birch Glacier moved roughly fifty metres as a result of growing rockfall, which increased instability.

The Swiss Academy of Sciences has stated that the alpine glaciers in Switzerland had lost 10 percent of their volume in just the past two years, citing the abrupt decline as unmistakable proof of the “very critical state” of the climate, CBS News reported.

In just two years, the glaciers have lost as much ice as they did in the thirty years from 1960 to 1990.

After 2022, when they lost six per cent of their volume, 2023 saw the second-worst ice loss rate on record, with a rate of four per cent.

Ongoing risks and recovery efforts

More than 100,000 cubic meters of unstable rock were still present as of June 1, raising the possibility of additional collapses. Safety issues caused a delay in cleanup activities.

The Swiss army is on standby to assist once conditions permit.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, with the Ferden Reservoir’s outlet partially opened to manage water levels.

National response and future implications

The Swiss government is evaluating Blatten’s reconstruction and assistance programmes for displaced citizens. 

The catastrophe highlights how Alpine towns are becoming more susceptible to risks brought on by climate change. 

It is a sobering reminder of how urgently comprehensive climate strategies and plans for disaster preparedness are needed.

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