A massive landslide triggered by the partial collapse of the Birch Glacier buried 90% of the Swiss village of Blatten on May 28, 2025. Authorities had evacuated the area earlier in the month, but a 64-year-old man remains missing.

Axar.az reports, citing CBS, that the search was suspended due to falling debris and unstable conditions.

Mayor Matthias Bellwald declared, “We’ve lost our village,” as mud and rocks engulfed homes and infrastructure. Officials warn of further risks, including a potential ice jam and flooding in the valley. Nearby villages were also evacuated.

The collapse followed days of concern over a 52 million cubic-foot glacier at risk of breaking. Authorities have called on the military to assist with clearing efforts, though unstable deposits prevent direct intervention.

Glaciologists attribute the disaster to accelerated glacier melt caused by global warming. Switzerland, home to the most glaciers in Europe, lost 4% of its glacier volume in 2023 — the second-worst annual loss after a 6% decline in 2022.

This incident comes shortly after the discovery of five skier bodies on a glacier near Zermatt, highlighting growing dangers in the Alps.