Swiss glacier collapse buries alpine Village, Sparks climate alarm

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Friday, May 30th, 2025

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BLATTEN, SWITZERLAND, A dramatic glacier collapse in the Swiss Alps has buried nearly 90% of the village of Blatten under a massive flow of ice, mud, and rock, highlighting growing concerns over the impact of climate change on mountain regions.
The collapse of the Birch Glacier occurred earlier this week, engulfing much of the small alpine community of around 300 residents. Fortunately, authorities had evacuated the village before the disaster struck, but one 64-year-old man remains missing. Search efforts were suspended on May 29 due to dangerous conditions and continued instability in the debris field.
Christian Huggel, a climate scientist at the University of Zurich, warned that such events are becoming more frequent and unpredictable. “We have now entered an era of new climate hazards emerging in locations that were never previously considered at risk,” he stated.
Satellite imagery and video footage captured the before-and-after devastation, showing how quickly the once-scenic village was overtaken by glacial debris.
Adding to the threat, a river blocked by the collapsed glacier is raising fears of further flooding and possible evacuations downstream. Emergency teams are monitoring the area closely.
This event serves as a stark reminder of the accelerating climate crisis, with melting glaciers and shifting landscapes posing growing risks for communities once thought safe from natural disasters.
Swiss authorities are now assessing long-term protective measures as climate patterns continue to shift.