Swiss village buried by glacier collapse as debris blocks river and raises flood fears

A massive glacial landslide in southern Switzerland has buried the village of Blatten, formed a dangerous lake by blocking the River Lonza, and raised fears of flooding downstream as emergency crews monitor the situation.

A catastrophic landslide involving millions of cubic meters of ice, rock, and mud crashed down the Birch Glacier in southern Switzerland on Wednesday, burying the village of Blatten and obstructing the River Lonza. The powerful deluge has created a natural dam, forming a lake behind a wall of debris stretching nearly two kilometers.

The village’s 300 residents had already been evacuated earlier in the week after geological instability was detected. Though some houses remained standing after the initial landslide, they were later damaged or flooded by rising water levels. A 64-year-old man remains missing, but rescue operations have been suspended due to dangerous conditions.

On Thursday, the blocked river forced water to back up, raising fears that a sudden breach of the debris could trigger destructive flooding. Emergency services warned residents of the downstream villages of Gampel and Steg to prepare for possible evacuation.

By Friday afternoon, some water had started to seep through the debris, relieving some of the pressure. Authorities expressed cautious optimism that the situation would stabilize, though they are maintaining emergency precautions.

The Swiss army remains on standby with water pumps, excavators, and heavy equipment, ready to assist in flood mitigation once conditions allow. Scientists suggest the event may be linked to the accelerating impact of climate change in the Alps, where warming temperatures are destabilizing mountain glaciers and permafrost.

The Swiss Insurance Association has estimated damages could run into the hundreds of millions of Swiss francs, though exact figures are not yet available, and it is unclear how many properties in Blatten were insured.

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