Glacier Collapse Buries Swiss Village: One Missing After Avalanche

A section of the Birch glacier in the Swiss Alps collapsed on an unspecified date in late May 2025, sending a massive cloud of ice and rock down the mountainside. The village of Blatten, which had been evacuated several days prior due to warnings from geologists, was largely buried under the debris. "The unimaginable happened," said Blatten's mayor, Matthias Bellwald, in a statement. Despite the devastation, Bellwald expressed confidence in the village's future. The Swiss army has been called in to assist with rescue efforts, and government officials are on their way to the scene. One person remains unaccounted for. The incident highlights the accelerating effects of climate change and the melting of permafrost, which acts as a binding agent for high mountain formations. The video footage shows the immense scale of the avalanche and the resulting dust cloud that engulfed the village. While the immediate situation is dire, the resilience of the community and the swift response from authorities offer a glimmer of hope.