Mountain village Blatten is threatened with fate: glacier collapse and missing people!

Mountain village Blatten is threatened with fate: glacier collapse and missing people!

On May 28, 2025, a massive glacier collapse occurred on the Birch Glacier in the canton of Valais, Switzerland, leaving extensive destruction in the village of Blatten in the Lötschental. The demolition led to a massive landslide that buried large parts of the village under rubble, ice and mud. Around nine million tons of rock fell onto the old glacier surfaces. The accident occurred around 3:30 p.m. after unstable rock masses had been observed on the Kleiner Nesthorn in the previous weeks. Thanks to early evacuation measures, the approximately 300 residents were able to be brought to safety. But one person, a 64-year-old local man, went missing while he was in the Tennmatten area.

The mudslide blocked the Lonza River, resulting in the formation of a dammed lake. Persistent rain poses an increased danger as it increases the risk of a dam bursting and thus a possible flood wave. Experts attribute the glacier collapse to the thawing of the permafrost, geological instabilities and climatic changes. The region remains at risk and authorities are asking the population to heed safety instructions. In response to the threat, parts of the neighboring communities of Wiler and Kippel were evacuated as a precaution.

Severe impact on the village

The mountain village of Blatten was largely buried after the glacier fell and numerous houses were destroyed. A photographer reported gigantic masses of rubble rolling into the valley, and the event was initially classified as a “major event” that had been announced for days. Due to the dangerous situation, the village had already been evacuated the previous week before the glacier broke. The Swiss army is supporting the emergency services with pumps and drones to explore the situation and search for the missing man.

The deposits consist of a shocking mixture of rock and ice that is meters high, two kilometers long and 200 meters wide. Geologists warn of the possibility of a dam collapse, which could lead to tidal waves or debris flows. The search for the missing resident continues under extremely difficult conditions and so far the emergency services using thermal imaging cameras have been unsuccessful.

The future of the village of Blatten

The situation in Blatten is tense because the authorities are not giving the all-clear due to the unclear development of water runoff through the deposits. However, the mayor Matthias Bellwald expressed optimistic thoughts about the reconstruction of the village. The local and regional command staff are working to ensure security in the region and are planning an information event on further developments in the disaster area. The coming days will be crucial for a return to normality and the situation of the missing person remains extremely worrying. Fireworld reports that... The full extent of the destruction highlights the challenges the community now faces as it recovers from this major natural disaster.

In summary, this unfortunate incident has once again highlighted the region's vulnerability to geological change under the pressure of climatic changes. The authorities and residents are required to adapt to the new circumstances and ensure the safety of everyone involved. Tagesschau describes the events and their effects on the village of Blatten. The search for the missing person remains one of the main priorities for emergency responders in this challenging situation, while hope for a positive turnaround and an early return to normality remains. Tagesschau emphasizes that the responsible authorities will provide information about how to proceed.