Glacier cancellation in Valais: village Blatten in rubble and ash!

Glacier cancellation in Valais: village Blatten in rubble and ash!

On Wednesday, May 28, 2025, a catastrophic glacier canceled in the Lötschental in the canton of Valais. The Birch Glacier broke off from the small Nesthorn and brought around 9 million tons of rock to the valley, which resulted in the almost complete destruction of the village of Blatten. At least 300 inhabitants were evacuated before the impending misfortune; A person has been missing since then. The road connection between Goppenstein and Blatten was also badly damaged as a result of the massive rubble wings.

Mayor Matthias Bellwald described Blatten as "Ground Zero". He found that the village was practically lost, but an evacuation of the residents could take place in good time. The abortion led to a seismic quake of the strength 3.1, which shook the region. According to the natural hazard expert Raphaël Mayoraz, this incident is to be regarded as unprecedented. In the night before the demolition, large quantities of ice, rock, snow and water had fallen downwards, which was a clear warning on the catastrophe. The village and the surrounding areas are at risk because the rubble cone has reached a thickness of 50 to 200 meters.

risk of a tidal wave

The situation on site remains tense because the Lonza river is thawed through the collapsed masses. Experts warn of the possibility of a mure, and the authorities prepare evacuations in neighboring communities such as Gampel and Steg. The risk of a tidal wave has now been considered less, but there is still a danger because a large lake has formed behind the rubble cone. Jonas Jeitziner from the regional management staff described the water outflow as positive news, as this minimizes a possible tidal wave.

For the time being, no further tidal waves or scree avalanches have occurred. For the municipalities of Gampel and Steg, construction machinery was provided to secure the water outflow and ensure a smooth course through the stream bed. In addition, the surroundings around the rubble cone are monitored by drones and webcams in order to recognize potential dangers at an early stage.

support and reconstruction

The destruction affects not only houses, but also three hotel companies and local agriculture. The Swiss Insurance Association SVV estimates the damage to several hundred million euros. The exact insurance status of the buildings in the region remains unclear, since there is no mandatory building insurance in the canton of Valais. Federal President Karin Keller-Sutter and other government members visited the disaster area and assured support.

Despite the massive destruction, the community shows a will to reconstruction. Matthias Bellwald commented and emphasized the resistance of the locals to rebuild their homeland. All efforts to assess the damage and the reconstruction measures are already underway to support the region as best as possible.

Videos of destruction and rubble have appeared in the past few days and show the extent of the tragedy. The events related to the abortion of the glacier on the Birch Glacier remain a topic of the highest importance for the affected communities and the entire Switzerland.