Chaos in the Lötschental: Danger from overflowing lake after abortion!

Chaos in the Lötschental: Danger from overflowing lake after abortion!

On May 28, 2025, a severe glacier abort occurred in the Lötschental, canton of Valais, which led to dramatic situations in the village of Blatten located there. According to reports from Swabian have formed scree masses and ice cream that has a meter-high dam that the flows Lonza Staute. The result is a dangerous lake, the level of which is continuously increasing and that could overflow in the early morning.

The situation is assessed as threatening because enormous water is held behind the dam. Michael Krautblatter, professor of slope movements, warns of the possibility of tidal waves or murgeon when the dam breaks. In the past few days, buildings have already been cleared in Blatten and other hamlets to ensure the safety of residents. Christian Studer from the Natural Round department experiences the urgency of the situation up close and affirms the concerns of the authorities.

additional dangers and disaster prevention

The massive water masses in the lake formed behind the dam could not only threaten blatings, but also other towns down. According to BR are faced with great challenges to control the dangerous situation. Drone images prove the destruction on site: Many houses in Blatten are already flooded and are under a meter -high wet layer.

The MP Beat Rieder described the event as a century disaster. Residents describe the dramatic situation, such as Daniel Ritler, who reports on total destruction of his homeland. Michael Krautblatter gives a positive view that some personal objects may be saved, but the majority of the building materials are lost.

climate change as a trigger

experts point out that climate change is a driver of these severe natural events. Mylène Jacquemart, glaciologist at ETH Zurich, described the events as unpredictable. Climate change leads to instabilities in the Swiss Alps, since the average temperature there has increased by almost 3 ° C since the pre -industrial period. A WSL study shows that this increases the risk of natural disasters in the Alps.

Federico Ferrario, a natural dangerous expert, explains that many passive risks in these regions are increasingly critical due to global temperature changes and melting glaciers. The end of the glacier on May 28 is not the first natural disaster in the region; On May 18, 2025, part of the little Nesthorn fell into the valley, which indicates the general instability of the area.