'Imminent' Landslide Threat: Authorities Order Full Evacuation Of Swiss Mountain Village

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) The situation in Blatten in the Lötschental Valley, canton Valais, is becoming increasingly critical. Following a debris flow high above the mountain village in the Kleines Nesthorn and Birchgletscher region, the authorities have ordered the complete evacuation of its 300 residents due to "imminent" dangers. This content was published on May 19, 2025 - 12:33 4 minutes SRF

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The mountain above Blatten is moving and a major rockfall is“imminent”, which in a worst-case scenario could hit the village, warn Swiss experts.

Residents of Blatten had to leave the village by 11:30am.

“The situation is very acute,” Matthias Ebener, head of information for the command staff, told Swiss public radio, SRF.“It's clear to everyone that the rockslide is imminent.” The evacuation has now been completed.

According to Ebener, geologists reassessed the situation on Monday morning.“They concluded that the descending material likely requires more space than initially thought,” he said.

Experts expect the rock to slide in the next few hours, or at the latest by Tuesday morning. And around two million cubic metres of water could come down.

“In the worst-case scenario, it could be five million cubic metres,” explained Alban Brigger of the Natural Hazards Department of canton Valais.

He expects the rock to hit the glacier and both to slide down together.

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