Lötschental in danger: abortion threatens flood disaster!

Lötschental in danger: abortion threatens flood disaster!

Blatten, Schweiz - in the Lötschental in the canton of Valais, Switzerland, there is a threat of another serious crisis situation after a catastrophic glacier cancel. A meter -high dam of rubble, rock and ice builds the Lonza river and could lead to a dangerous water back jam. This situation represents an acute threat to the lower communities. As a precaution, several houses have been cleared in two hamlets. The location in the village of Blatten is particularly dramatic, which is almost completely buried under a massive layer of rubbers made of rubble and ice. Around 90 percent of the buildings, including about 130 houses and a church, are affected. The thickness of the rubble varies in its thickness between 50 and 200 meters. The incident is particularly alarming, since in mid -May was already warned of possible clamps.

The demolition of the bay glacier occurred on May 28, 2025 and led to a massive avalanche event. It is estimated that a total of around three million cubic meters of material have fallen into the valley. The demolition, which took place at 3:24 p.m., was so huge that it caused an earthquake of strength 3.1. As a result, the village of Blatten was practically completely buried. The remaining houses are now flooded with water congestion. A missing, a 64-year-old local gives the situation an additional drama. The mayor of Blatten, Matthias Bellwald, commented that the village was lost, while the community had to continue to exist.

evacuations and aid measures

On Wednesday, May 28th, at 7 p.m., the authorities informed the media about what is happening. Security measures were taken and people near the Lonza were evacuated. A crisis staff is on constant willingness, even if there is currently only a low risk of successoring. The army was asked for support and started the first aid measures on Wednesday evening. Excavators and camions were stationed in the valley, but the dimensions of the rubble geg that reach a height of 50 meters, a width of 200 meters and a length of two kilometers are overwhelming. Federal Councilor Albert Rösti described the event as a millennium, while Councilor Beat Rieder emphasized that it was of the greatest importance to open the streets and prevent a backlog of Lonza.

The extent of the damage is still unclear, but is considered immensely. The bishop of Sion, Jean-Marie Lovey, has comforted the affected residents and appealed to those affected with a quote from the Bible. In the meantime, there are already plans for a reco flight to get more information about the situation, since the tragedy also questions the hope of reconstruction and future security in the region.

historical context

The glacier abort in the Lötschental is part of a number of catastrophic cloakes that Switzerland have hit in the past. Mountains are devastating natural events that often occur in the Alps. One of the worst is Bondo's landslide in 2017, in which three million cubic meters of rock fell into the valley and cost eight lives. The incident in the Lötschental is now one of the most important natural disasters of the present and is referred to as a century disaster.

The Lötschental region is not only known for its impressive nature, but also a popular holiday destination with hiking and climbing routes and ski slopes. The joy of the breathtaking landscape is now in a strong contrast to the tragedies that took place there in no time.

For detailed information about the abortion of the glacier, Remszeitung Aargauer Zeitung brings updates. In addition, nau.ch