Shock in the Lötschental: Rain and glacier drama endanger blatings!

Shock in the Lötschental: Rain and glacier drama endanger blatings!

in the Lötschental, canton of Valais, Switzerland, there is very worries among the residents after a dramatic cancellation of glaciers. Rain is expected on Sunday, which could endanger the stability of a rubble of rubble that has buried the village of Blatten among themselves. According to OE24, this rubble cone with about nine million cubic meters is material, of which a third ice is, a concentrated risk for the region. The authorities warn that the already swollen Lonza, which sometimes flows through narrow concrete channels, while flooding could step over the banks, triggers the situation even more critically.

After 365 people have already been evacuated and many houses are flooded by Blatten, the measuring devices show a quiet location, while smaller water flows drain. It is reassuring that signs of scree exits or floods have not been reported. But the situation remains tense because the municipalities of Gampel and Steg are already taking precautions for a possible further evacuation. These two places are about 20 kilometers down the valley of the spilled village and are equipped with a dam, where water was drained to avoid flooding, as the [the press] (https://www.diepresse.com/19739865/Gletscherbbruch-in-loetschental-erste-zichen-Wasser-Abfflißst reports)

danger from climatic changes

The catastrophic events in the Lötschental are not considered isolated. Scientists and experts refer to the increase in climbs and rock falls that are observed everywhere in the Alps, which are related to climate change. Professor Michael Krautblatter says that there has been an “absolute accumulation” of such events in recent years. Climate change destabilizes the permafrost, which increases the likelihood of landslides and glacier melts, geologist Flavio Anselmetti and other experts explain, as stated in a report by wdr is.

The elevated temperatures contribute to accelerating the snow melt, which reinforces instability in many alpine regions, emphasizes permafrost expert Jan Beutel. The thawing of the permafrost layers makes water circulating more easily, which favors rock movements. These complex relationships bring the communities and their inhabitants in great danger.

The situation in Lötschental is currently tense, the authorities monitor the situation around the clock. While no further evacuation has been planned so far, there is the possibility of future measures. The hope of the residents lies in a stable weather conditions, while experts continue to look at the influence of climate change.