Satellite Images Detect Signs Of Blatten Landslide In 2016

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) Warning signs of the landslide which wiped out the village of Blatten in Valais were visible from space years before the disaster, according to European Space Agency (ESA) satellite imagery. This content was published on August 8, 2025 - 14:18 3 minutes Keystone-SDA

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According to the images, the slope on the Petit Nesthorn mountain above Blatten was already moving in 2016. These movements then increased steadily over the years before becoming much stronger leading up to the disaster in May, the ESA said on Friday.

“Our analysis confirms that the movements of the Petit Nesthorn developed over several years before the collapse,” said Andrea Manconi of the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF), who was involved in the ESA's“Modulate” project, which analysed images taken by two satellites between 2016 and 2024.

“Results such as these help us to see more clearly how satellite data can be used for early detection,” Manconi was quoted in the press release as saying.

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