Massive Glacier Collapse Wipes Out Swiss Village

Photo: Cyril Zinger and Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP

The small Swiss village of Blatten was virtually wiped off the map Wednesday when a massive section of the Birch Glacier collapsed, unleashing a torrent of ice, rock, and mud. This catastrophic event in the Valais canton, the same region famed for Zermatt's iconic Matterhorn and extensive ski domain, serves as another grim reminder of the Alps' increasing instability.

Astonishingly, Blatten's 300 residents had been evacuated on May 19, just nine days prior, due to the unstable glacier. However, at least one person is reported missing. Drone footage captured the horrifying moment the mountainside gave way, burying an estimated 90 percent of Blatten under debris from the Birch Glacier, which had been creeping an alarming 8 to 11 feet per day. The collapse registered as a 3.1-magnitude quake. The disaster highlights the severe impact of climate change, with the Alps warming at twice the global average and Swiss glaciers losing 10% of their volume in 2022-2023 alone.

While Blatten is roughly 35-40 miles from Zermatt and poses no direct physical threat to it, the event amplifies concerns for the future of high-alpine tourism and skiing throughout the region. Zermatt, one of only two Swiss resorts still offering summer glacier skiing, faces the long-term threat of glacier retreat, which could jeopardize this key attraction. Incidents like the Blatten landslide showcases the vulnerability of alpine environments, potentially affecting tourist perceptions and forcing resorts like Zermatt to continuously adapt to shrinking glaciers, thawing permafrost, and the associated natural hazards.

Adding to the immediate crisis in the Lötschental valley, the Blatten landslide has blocked a nearby riverbed, creating a significant risk of flooding and potentially prompting further evacuations. This event follows a similar near-miss in Brienz, Switzerland, in 2023, further emphasizing the growing dangers facing alpine communities and the vital tourism they support.What happened at Blatten isn't just about one lost village; it's a clear sign of the huge and rapid changes facing famous mountain spots and the entire future of mountain sports as our world warms.