Overview
- The disaster that buried much of the Swiss village of Blatten happened on 28 May 2025 when a combined glacier and rock collapse from the Kleines Nesthorn sent roughly nine million cubic metres of debris into the valley.
- At the one-year mark residents were allowed limited returns, some edge houses have been reconnected to water and power, a six-kilometre emergency road provides access, and plans call for a new cantonal road plus a provisional cable lift.
- Local leaders and a reconstruction commission aim to rebuild the village above the high-risk zone within about four to five years so former residents can return safely by roughly 2029–2030.
- Hazard teams report the debris contains about one-third ice, has formed a dammed lake whose level has shifted, and will take years to melt while the Kleines Nesthorn remains closely monitored for further rock or ice falls.
- Scientists cite long-term Alpine warming and permafrost thaw as likely drivers of the collapse and warn the event signals a wider rise in similar rock-and-ice failures, underscoring the need for permanent monitoring and adaptation measures.