Swiss glacier collapse that buried villages is so big it's visible from space
The tranquil Swiss village of Blatten was transformed in moments as a catastrophic avalanche of rock and ice from the Birch Glacier thundered into the valley on May 28, 2025.The collapse was so big that it buried nearly 90% of the community and filled the Lonza River.The disaster has been captured in stark detail by the OLI-2 instrument on Landsat 9. The images reveal a landscape dramatically altered by nature's force.advertisement
The collapse was triggered after weeks of instability on the mountain slopes above the glacier. Rockfalls from the Kleiner Nesthorn peak accumulated on the glacier's surface, increasing pressure and accelerating the glacier's movement to an estimated 10 meters per day by May 27, according to ETH Zurich.Scientists believe the added weight and resulting meltwater at the glacier's base reduced friction, making a catastrophic slide inevitable.When the glacier finally gave way, millions of tons of debris surged 2.5 kilometers down the valley, climbing as high as 240 meters up the opposite slope and forming a debris cone two kilometers long and 200 meters wide. Satellite images released in the aftermath show the vast swath of brown and grey debris cutting through the lush alpine landscape, a stark reminder of the power and unpredictability of glacial regions in a warming world.advertisementThe avalanche not only buried homes but also blocked the Lonza River, creating an artificial lake and raising fears of further flooding.Fortunately, early warning systems and visible signs of instability prompted authorities to evacuate all 300 residents and livestock by May 19, days before the disaster struck. Only one person remains missing.Scientists continue to monitor the site, investigating the roles of rockfalls, glacier melt, and possibly permafrost thaw in this rare and devastating event.
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The tranquil Swiss village of Blatten was transformed in moments as a catastrophic avalanche of rock and ice from the Birch Glacier thundered into the valley on May 28, collapse was so big that it buried nearly 90% of the community and filled the Lonza disaster has been captured in stark detail by the OLI-2 instrument on Landsat 9. The images reveal a landscape dramatically altered by nature's The collapse was triggered after weeks of instability on the mountain slopes above the glacier. Rockfalls from the Kleiner Nesthorn peak accumulated on the glacier's surface, increasing pressure and accelerating the glacier's movement to an estimated 10 meters per day by May 27, according to ETH believe the added weight and resulting meltwater at the glacier's base reduced friction, making a catastrophic slide the glacier finally gave way, millions of tons of debris surged 2.5 kilometers down the valley, climbing as high as 240 meters up the opposite slope and forming a debris cone two kilometers long and 200 meters wide. Satellite images released in the aftermath show the vast swath of brown and grey debris cutting through the lush alpine landscape, a stark reminder of the power and unpredictability of glacial regions in a warming avalanche not only buried homes but also blocked the Lonza River, creating an artificial lake and raising fears of further early warning systems and visible signs of instability prompted authorities to evacuate all 300 residents and livestock by May 19, days before the disaster struck. Only one person remains continue to monitor the site, investigating the roles of rockfalls, glacier melt, and possibly permafrost thaw in this rare and devastating event.
