Swiss Birch Glacier Collapse Destroys Blatten Village, One Missing

A massive collapse of the Birch Glacier in Switzerland's Lötschental Valley has devastated the village of Blatten, home to around 300 people, burying much of it under ice, mud, and debris. Despite prior evacuations prompted by warnings from geologists, one 64-year-old local man remains missing, and extensive search and rescue efforts are ongoing. The collapse, which occurred around 3:30 pm local time, released millions of cubic meters of material, damming the nearby Lonza River and creating risks of flooding and further debris flows. Local authorities, supported by the Swiss army and federal government, are assisting with relief efforts, and government funding has been pledged to support displaced residents. Experts attribute the disaster to accelerated glacier melting and permafrost thaw caused by global warming, highlighting the increasing frequency of such rare but catastrophic events in the Alps. The community, while mourning the significant loss, remains determined to rebuild and support one another.