Following a deadly glacier collapse in Blatten, near the Swiss Alpine village of Kandersteg, the town is on high alert as melting permafrost and shifting rock threaten another potential disaster after it was buried a month ago.
Swiss officials in Kandersteg are intensifying monitoring efforts of a mountain peak showing signs of instability after a glacier collapse and rockslide destroyed the neighbouring village of Blatten in May.
Though Blatten's 300 residents were relocated before the disaster, the event highlighted growing concerns over melting permafrost and geological risks in the Alps.
Kandersteg, home to around 1,400 people, has invested more than 11 million Swiss francs (€11.7 million, $13.8 million) in disaster preparedness, including dams and high-tech monitoring tools such as GPS, radar, and drones.
The Spitzer Stein peak, now shifting up to 70 cm per day, is under constant watch, with a warning system in place to give residents at least 48 hours’ notice in case of a major collapse.
Despite the danger, life continues as usual in the tourist-heavy village, though officials plan a full evacuation drill next year.
Experts warn that what’s happening in Kandersteg and Blatten may only be the beginning of a broader climate-driven threat to the Alps.
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