A massive section of a glacier broke off in the Swiss Alps on Wednesday, unleashing a devastating torrent of ice, mud, and rock that buried nearly an entire Alpine village. The collapse occurred above Blatten, in the Lötschental valley of southern Switzerland, where authorities had evacuated residents earlier this month due to signs of glacier instability.

Village submerged in ice and mud

Footage circulating on social media and Swiss television captured the dramatic moment a giant mudslide engulfed Blatten, sending thick clouds of dust into the air. The Birch Glacier, perched above the village, disintegrated without warning, leading to a destructive flow that submerged homes, structures, and parts of the Lonza River bed.

According to Stephane Ganzer, head of security in the Valais region, around 90% of the village has been covered or destroyed, calling it a “major catastrophe.”

Search for missing resident underway

Authorities reported that a 64-year-old man is missing, and search-and-rescue teams have deployed drones equipped with thermal cameras in an attempt to locate him. Rescue efforts are being carried out under challenging conditions, with the risk of additional glacier movement or flooding from the blocked river.

“There’s a risk that the situation could get worse,” Ganzer warned, referring to the river obstruction that may lead to dammed water flows and further damage downstream.

Government response and military mobilisation

In response to the threat identified weeks ago, the Swiss army had been mobilised, and the village’s approximately 300 residents, along with livestock, were evacuated in advance. At a press conference, Swiss Environment Minister Albert Rösti called the incident “an extraordinary event” and pledged government assistance for those affected.

The regional government also confirmed that the collapse of 1.5 million cubic metres of glacier material had triggered the landslide.

Is it a climate change impact?

Experts have long sounded the alarm about the accelerated retreat of glaciers in Switzerland due to global warming. The Alpine country holds more glaciers than any other European nation but is rapidly losing them. In 2023 alone, Switzerland lost 4% of its total glacier volume, following a record 6% loss in 2022.