Landslide 365 evacuees in the Lötschental - direct operations too dangerous
In the Lötschental, 365 people had to leave their homes before and after the landslide in Blatten by Friday morning. The geological situation is still too dangerous for direct operations. The lake behind the debris cone is under constant observation.
30.05.2025, 11:04
SDA
The Lonza River and the reservoir in Ferden are also being constantly monitored, according to the Valais State Chancellery. The canton has installed measuring devices for this purpose. The landslide mass, which is several dozen meters high and around two kilometers long, is blocking the Lonza, which is why a lake has formed.
The canton put the total volume of ice and rock deposits on the valley floor at ten million cubic meters. Over the course of the morning, the lake level approached the upper edge of the mass of debris. The authorities expected the dammed lake to overflow during the course of the day. In view of this, they increased the storage capacity of the Ferden reservoir.
Due to the risks and geological instability, no operations are currently possible in the disaster area, the State Chancellery added. The army is on standby with water pumps, excavators, other heavy clearing equipment and lighting material. Experts from specialized engineering firms, 50 members of the civil defence and around 100 firefighters are also deployed.
The cantonal road from Goppenstein to Blatten remains closed. There are exceptions for local residents and emergency vehicles. The cantonal command body is constantly analyzing the situation and is in contact with the regional command staff.
