A catastrophic glacier collapse near Blatten village in Switzerland resulted in extensive destruction after authorities had evacuated residents earlier. The Birch Glacier, which had unexpectedly advanced, released a massive torrent of rocks and ice, blocking a river and forming a lake in the valley below. Scientists had observed increasing rockfalls but could not foresee the total glacier collapse. One individual is reported missing, and the search has been paused due to hazardous conditions, underscoring the serious implications for the community and the surrounding environment.
The damage is considerable. A local river has been blocked, and a lake is forming. The challenge lies in the behavior of this accumulation of water and the Lonza River.
What happened is the unthinkable, the catastrophic worst-case scenario. Scientists knew something was coming thanks to increasingly frequent rockfalls from the mountain face onto the glacier.
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