Business in Blatten: whole village has to flee due to the risk of earth!

Business in Blatten: whole village has to flee due to the risk of earth!

Blatten, Schweiz - On May 19, 2025 there was a massive rock fall on the small Nesthorn in Valais, Switzerland. Some of the east ridge broke off and triggered a scree avalanche that covers glacier material. The demolition stopped about 500 meters above the village of Blatten. In view of the acute danger, the evacuation of the entire village, which is at an altitude of 1,540 meters, was ordered. Animals, including a dozen cows, were also brought from the danger area. According to a report by Vol.at had little time to prepare for the evacuation. Silvano Bellwald reported that his family had only 15 minutes to pack the bare essentials.

The mayor of Blatten, Matthias Bellwald, was relieved that this incident did not cause any injuries. However, he referred to the danger that emanates from minor dropouts and did not rule out that such events can occur more frequently in the future. Esther Bellwald, a hotel operator, expressed her concern against the background that her hotel should open for the summer season in two weeks.

The causes of evacuation

Experts estimate that up to 5 million cubic meters of rock could crash. An unstable rock mass above Blatten has shifted by 2.9 meters, whereby the snow melting and the lack of permafrost are likely to be likely to contribute. The birch glacier on the small Nesthorn has been observed for 30 years, and a recent rock fall has torn parts of the glacier. With the help of GPS devices, geologists have found that the movement of the mountain has increased. This information comes from The BUND .

The risk of a clash in Blaten could even trigger chain reactions, which can release glacier water and lead to dangerous murgeous lengths. The authorities have carried out numerous recognition flights to continuously monitor the situation. The head of information at the regional leadership, Matthias Ebener, urged the potential consequences of a triggered boulder, while Alban Brigger from the Natural Round office expressed his concern about the current situation.

climatic influences on mountain slides

The thawing of permafrost can lead to stone strokes and climbs, as the climatic changes in recent years show. According to bafu.admin.ch is increased when large rocks, typically over a million Cubic meters, loosen from a rock wall. These stone quantities can reach high speeds and cause dangerous water eruptions or tidal waves in the valley.

The return of the evacuated will depend on the current security situation. The mayor hopes that the measures can be lifted again quickly, but the uncertainties remain. The events in Blatten illustrate the challenges that mountain communities are faced with due to the climatic changes.