The destruction of the mountain village Blatten by a collapsing glacier is not the end of the problems for Switzerland's Lötschental. The rock mass blocking a river now threatens flooding elsewhere in the valley. The few remaining houses in Blatten have already been submerged, as seen in footage.
A massive avalanche of ice, debris, and meltwater yesterday buried Blatten under a 2-kilometer-long, 50- to 200-meter-wide layer of rubble, wiping out 90% of the buildings. Authorities had evacuated all 300 residents and their livestock beforehand, but a 64-year-old man remains missing.
Meanwhile, rising water levels in the Lonza River, dammed by debris, pose a new threat. Experts fear unpredictable flooding downstream, with potential mudflows if the dam collapses. Additional evacuations have been carried out as a precaution.
Swiss Environment Minister Rösti called the event "the worst-case scenario" and pledged support for reconstruction. The incident has reignited discussions on climate change preparedness, as melting glaciers increase landslide risks.
