Swiss Glacier Collapse Raises Flood Risk
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Swiss glacier collapse offers global warning of wider impact
The collapse of the Swiss Birch glacier serves as a chilling warning of the escalating dangers faced by communities worldwide living under the shadow of fragile ice. Many Asian nations, particularly in the Himalayas, lack the resources to monitor their vast glaciers to the same degree as the Swiss. Asia was the world’s most disaster-hit region from climate and weather hazards in 2023, the United Nations said in 2024, with floods and storms the chief cause of casualties and economic losses. The average number of fatalities per disaster was 189 globally, in Asia and the Pacific it was much higher at 338, according to the Belgium-based Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters’ Emergency Events Database. Two-thirds of countries in the Asia and Pacific region have early warning systems. But the least developed countries, many of whom are in the frontlines of climate change, have the worst coverage. Hundreds of lakes formed from glacial meltwater have appeared in recent decades. They can be deadly when they burst and rush down the valley.
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan – The collapse of the Swiss Birch glacier serves as a chilling warning of the escalating dangers faced by communities worldwide living under the shadow of fragile ice, particularly in Asia, experts say.
Footage of the May 28 collapse showed a huge cloud of ice and rubble hurtling down the mountainside, into the hamlet of Blatten.
Mr Ali Neumann, disaster risk reduction adviser to the Swiss Development Cooperation, noted that while the role of climate change in the specific case of Blatten “still needs to be investigated”, the wider impacts were clear on the cryosphere – the part of the world covered by frozen water.
“Climate change and its impact on the cryosphere will have growing repercussions on human societies that live near glaciers, near the cryosphere, and depend on glaciers somehow and live with them,” he said.
The barrage largely destroyed Blatten, but the evacuation of its 300 residents last week averted mass casualties, although one person remains missing.
“It also showed that with the right skills and observation and management of an emergency, you can significantly reduce the magnitude of this type of disaster,” Mr Neumann said at an international UN-backed glacier conference in Tajikistan.
Dr Stefan Uhlenbrook, director for Hydrology, Water and Cryosphere at the World Meteorological Organisation , said it showed the need for vulnerable regions like the Himalayas and other parts of Asia to prepare.
“From monitoring to data sharing, to numerical simulation models, to hazard assessment and to communicating that, the whole chain needs to be strengthened,” Dr Uhlenbrook said.
“But in many Asian countries, this is weak, the data is not sufficiently connected.”
Swiss geologists use various methods, including sensors and satellite images, to monitor their glaciers.
Asia was the world’s most disaster-hit region from climate and weather hazards in 2023, the United Nations said in 2024, with floods and storms the chief cause of casualties and economic losses.
But many Asian nations, particularly in the Himalayas, lack the resources to monitor their vast glaciers to the same degree as the Swiss.
According to a 2024 UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction report, two-thirds of countries in the Asia and Pacific region have early warning systems.
But the least developed countries, many of whom are in the frontlines of climate change, have the worst coverage.
“Monitoring is not absent, but it is not enough,” said geologist Sudan Bikash Maharjan of the Nepal-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development.
“Our terrains and climatic conditions are challenging, but also we lack that level of resources for intensive data generation.”
That gap is reflected in the number of disaster-related fatalities for each event.
While the average number of fatalities per disaster was 189 globally, in Asia and the Pacific it was much higher at 338, according to the Belgium-based Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters’ Emergency Events Database.
Geoscientist Jakob Steiner, who works in climate adaptation in Nepal and Bhutan, said it is not as simple as just exporting the Swiss technological solutions.
“These are complex disasters, working together with the communities is actually just as, if not much more, important,” he said.
Himalayan glaciers, providing critical water to nearly two billion people, are melting faster than ever before due to climate change, exposing communities to unpredictable and costly disasters, scientists warn.
Hundreds of lakes formed from glacial meltwater have appeared in recent decades. They can be deadly when they burst and rush down the valley.
The softening of permafrost increases the chances of landslides.
Mr Declan Magee, from the Asian Development Bank’s Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, said that monitoring and early warnings alone are not enough.
“We have to think… about where we build, where people build infrastructure and homes, and how we can decrease their vulnerability if it is exposed”, he said.
Nepali climate activist and filmmaker Tashi Lhazom described how the village of Til, near her home, was devastated by a landslide earlier in May.
The 21 families escaped – but only just.
“In Switzerland they were evacuated days before, here we did not even get seconds,” said Ms Lhazom.
“The disparity makes me sad but also angry. This has to change.” AFP
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Switzerland’s glacier collapse: How a village vanished and what it means for the future
A massive landslide buried 90% of the village of Blatten in the Lötschental Valley, Switzerland, on May 28, 2025. The landslide was triggered by the collapse of the Birch Glacier, which is melting fast due to climate change. The collapse not only devastated Blatten but also blocked the Lonza River, creating a natural dam and a new lake. One 64-year-old man remains missing, and search efforts have been suspended due to hazardous conditions. Switzerland’s glaciers have lost 10% of their volume over the past two years alone, with 6% lost in 2022 and 4% in 2023. If current trends continue, Switzerland could lose many of its glaciers by the end of this century.
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Fortunately, due to earlier warnings about visible cracks in the glacier, residents had been evacuated about ten days prior, preventing a greater tragedy. However, one 64-year-old man remains missing, and search efforts have been suspended due to hazardous conditions.
The collapse not only devastated Blatten but also blocked the Lonza River, creating a natural dam and a new lake, raising concerns about potential downstream flooding in neighboring villages like Gampel and Steg.
The Swiss army is on standby with heavy equipment to mitigate the situation, and authorities continue to enforce safety measures.
Experts attribute the disaster to climate change, noting that rising temperatures have led to accelerated glacier melting and destabilization. Switzerland’s glaciers have lost 10% of their volume over the past two years alone, with 6% lost in 2022 and 4% in 2023. This rapid loss is equivalent to the total depletion between 1960 and 1990.
People have shared the horrific aftermath of the glacier collapse.
The collapse of the Birch Glacier in Switzerland isn’t just a one-off disaster — it’s part of a much bigger, scarier trend: the thawing of long-frozen ice deposits all across the Alps. Glaciers aren’t just giant piles of snow and ice sitting pretty in postcards. They’re ancient, slow-moving rivers of ice that hold climate history, regulate ecosystems, and feed entire water systems.
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But right now, they’re melting — and fast.
Due to global warming, temperatures in alpine regions are rising at nearly double the global average. That means permafrost, the frozen ground beneath glaciers and rocky peaks, is starting to thaw. And when that happens, it’s like pulling the pins out of a massive mountain Jenga game. The frozen “glue” that holds rocks and ice together melts, making landslides, rockfalls, and ice collapses much more likely — just like what we saw in Blatten.
Thawing also means water from glaciers is released too quickly, forming sudden lakes and unstable dams. These can burst, causing flash floods downstream. And if that wasn’t enough, the melt also affects water supplies for millions across Europe who rely on glaciers to regulate rivers in summer.
Scientists say that if current trends continue, Switzerland could lose many of its glaciers by the end of this century. The thaw is irreversible in many areas — once the ice is gone, it’s gone. What’s left behind are unstable landscapes, crumbling peaks, and a deeply altered climate future. This isn’t just about losing pretty views; it’s about losing stability, security, and balance in entire ecosystems.
In short: thawing glaciers are nature’s giant warning signs — and they’re flashing red.
Swiss glacier collapse: Situation stabilizes overnight
Lonza River has found new paths down the valley in the southern Swiss canton of Valais. Construction machinery has been deployed to control the run-off of accumulated water. The situation on Saturday was “currently satisfactory” and the night had been “quite quiet” The glacier collapse was caused by rockfalls from 3,000 meters (9842.5 feet) that crashed into the Birsch Glacier, triggering the landslide on Wednesday afternoon. The heat has sped up the melting of the glacier ice and rain has been forecast for the next days, increasing the risk of further landslides.
One fear had been that the Lonza River, which had been backed up behind the ice, rock and debris, could result in a flood wave.
However, officials said the river had found new paths down the valley in the southern Swiss canton of Valais.
Construction machinery has been deployed to control the run-off of accumulated water.
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The municipalities of Gampel and Steg informed residents of the work, saying: “The aim is to ensure the smooth flow of debris and alluvial debris through the bed of the Lonza stream within the villages.”
Authorities expressed relief that the Lonza River has begun to flow down the valley, reducing the risk of a flood swell Jean-Christophe Bott/KEYSTONE/picture alliance
What did authorities say about the Swiss glacier on Saturday?
Stephane Ganzer, from the Valais state council, said that there had been no major problems overnight.
The situation on Saturday was “currently satisfactory” and the night had been “quite quiet,” Austrian public broadcaster ORF reported.
The council decided on Friday evening to open a nearby dam, warning residents downstream to make way for the water.
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Residents were already on alert and ready to evacuate in the case of a dangerous swell of water behind the debris cone.
The heat has sped up the melting of the glacier ice and rain has been forecast for the next days. Both could lead to a buildup of accumulated water and increase the risk of further landslides.
Blatten: Buried village to be rebuilt
The glacier collapse was caused by rockfalls from 3,000 meters (9842.5 feet) that crashed into the Birsch Glacier, triggering the landslide on Wednesday afternoon.
Millions of cubic meters of ice and rock were sent crashing through the Lötschental valley and burying the village of Blatten, which had already been evacuated.
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Water from the Lonza was then blocked behind the almost 2-kilometre-long debris cone.
Blatten’s municipal president Matthias Bellwald said the village would be rebuilt.
“Blatten is under a debris cone. Together we will do what is humanly possible to rebuild the village for the village to have a future. Together we are strong,” Swiss newspaper the Neue Zürchner Zeitung quoted him as saying at a press conference.
Work has begun to remove large objects blocking the flow of water Cyril Zingaro/KEYSTONE/dpa
Edited by: Wesley Dockery
Swiss Glacier Collapse Raises Flood Risk
On May 28, 2025, the Alpine village of Blatten in southern Switzerland experienced a devastating event when a large section of the Birch glacier collapsed. The impact buried approximately 90 percent of the village, which is home to around 300 residents, under thick debris. The landslide created a 2-kilometer-long natural dam blocking the River Lonza, causing a rapidly swelling lake behind it. Authorities declared a state of emergency, warning of serious flood risks if the unstable debris dam fails. Experts link the collapse to the thawing of permafrost driven by global warming.
Despite extensive search efforts using a drone equipped with a thermal camera, a 64-year-old man remains missing. According to information reported by DownToEarth, the situation has raised serious concerns about potential flooding risks in the surrounding areas.
Thawing Permafrost and Glacier Instability
Experts link the collapse to the thawing of permafrost driven by global warming. Scientists had observed rock instability weeks before the event, with loose rocks tumbling onto the glacier and causing movement. Matthias Huss, head of Glacier Monitoring in Switzerland, highlighted that unexpected changes—likely due to climate change—are occurring in areas stable for centuries. Rising temperatures increase water infiltration between rocks, reducing cohesion and accelerating erosion, which contributes to landslides.
Glacier in Switzerland, Credit: Canva
Growing Flood Risks From Blocked River
The landslide created a 2-kilometer-long natural dam blocking the River Lonza, causing a rapidly swelling lake behind it. Water levels rise about 80 centimeters per hour, with estimates of up to one million cubic meters of water accumulating daily. Authorities declared a state of emergency, warning of serious flood risks if the unstable debris dam fails. Antoine Jacquod, a military security official, described the risk of an ice jam that could flood the valley below.
Nearby villages Gampel and Steg, along with others downstream, have been evacuated as a precaution. An artificial dam downstream has been emptied to accommodate the backflow, but authorities emphasize the danger of debris flows within the unstable deposit, which currently prevents direct intervention in the disaster area.
Emergency Response and Community Impact
The military stands ready with water pumps, diggers, and heavy equipment to assist when conditions permit. Helicopters are being used for damage assessment, while livestock are being airlifted from affected zones. Residents remain in shock. Martin Henzen, a Blatten local, said most are calm but deeply affected by the scale of destruction, noting that while they prepared for some natural disaster, they did not expect one of this magnitude. Jonas Jeitziner, an official from the neighboring village of Wiler, described the community’s shock as profound, with recovery efforts only just beginning.
Swiss village of Blatten buried by glacier collapse, raising climate concerns
Scientists had been monitoring the Nesthorn mountain above Blatten and had noticed signs of instability in recent weeks. Small slides of rocks and ice had already begun, prompting the evacuation of all 300 residents and their animals. Officials hoped the danger would pass slowly, but on Wednesday, a massive landslide hit the area. About nine million cubic metre of ice and rocks fell onto the Birch glacier and into the valley. The impact was strong enough to be recorded by geological monitoring stations across Switzerland. Authorities say the clean-up is on hold as the debris has blocked the River Lonza, creating a flood risk for other villages like Wiler and Kippel. Local residents gathered for Ascension Day prayers in Wiler, expressing both grief and solidarity. “They’ve lost everything,” one woman said. ‘It’s terrible, but we cannot believe in God, so that life can go on. We can cry forever,’ an elderly man added.
The village of Blatten in southern Switzerland has been destroyed after a large section of mountain collapsed onto a glacier, sending rocks and ice crashing into the valley.
Scientists had been monitoring the Nesthorn mountain above Blatten and had noticed signs of instability in recent weeks. Small slides of rocks and ice had already begun, prompting the evacuation of all 300 residents and their animals. Officials hoped the danger would pass slowly, but on Wednesday, a massive landslide hit the area.
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Swiss Army soldiers arrives in Wiler, Switzerland, Thursday, May 29, 2025, as a large part of the village of Blatten, located in the Loetschental Valley in the canton of Valais, was buried under masses of ice, mud, and rock. (AP) Swiss Army soldiers arrives in Wiler, Switzerland, Thursday, May 29, 2025, as a large part of the village of Blatten, located in the Loetschental Valley in the canton of Valais, was buried under masses of ice, mud, and rock. (AP)
According to BBC, about nine million cubic metre of ice and rocks fell onto the Birch glacier and into the valley. The impact was strong enough to be recorded by geological monitoring stations across Switzerland.
Blatten was completely buried. Its homes, church, and Hotel Edelweiss were all destroyed. Only the roof of the hotel is now visible above the debris.
In the nearby village of Kippel, residents Barbara and Otto Jaggi described the moment the disaster happened. “There was loud banging, and the lights went out,” Barbara told. At first, they thought it was their chimney repairman, but soon he ran upstairs shouting, “the mountain is coming.”
Glacier expert Matthias Huss from the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich said the disaster was the worst-case scenario. “I was speechless,” he told the BBC, adding that while Blatten is the most serious event in recent years, it is not the only one. “We are seeing many,” he said. “A lot of these events in the last years in the Alps are linked to global warming.”
Experts believe melting permafrost is playing a key role. Permafrost helps keep mountains stable, but as temperatures rise, it thaws. When that happens, the ground weakens, and slopes begin to collapse. Glaciers are also shrinking, uncovering unstable rock faces.
A view of the Kleines Nesthorn mountain showing the trace of the rocks which broke off and slid towards the valley above the village of Blatten, Switzerland. (AP) A view of the Kleines Nesthorn mountain showing the trace of the rocks which broke off and slid towards the valley above the village of Blatten, Switzerland. (AP)
“These changes used to take centuries,” Huss explained. “Now they are happening in just a few decades.”
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Although the village had been evacuated in time and no major injuries were reported, one man aged 64 is missing. Authorities say the clean-up is on hold as the debris has blocked the River Lonza, creating a flood risk for other villages like Wiler and Kippel.
Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter visited the area and met with people who had lost their homes. Local residents gathered for Ascension Day prayers in Wiler, expressing both grief and solidarity. “They’ve lost everything,” one woman said. “It’s terrible. There’s nothing we can do.” An elderly man added, “We can cry, but we cannot cry forever. We must believe in God, that He will help us, so that life can go on.”
Matthias Huss believes the Blatten disaster could shape how Switzerland thinks about living in mountain areas. “This event will be decisive for how we perceive the mountains,” he said. “And I wouldn’t exclude that other villages might be destroyed in future.”