Landslide 46 people permanently lose their homes in Schwanden GL

Around a year after the devastating landslides in Schwanden GL, it is clear that 46 people will lose their homes permanently. Of the 112 people evacuated at the beginning, 20 are still unable to return to their homes. 25 people have also lost their place of work.

At 5 pm on 29 August 2023, a 400-metre-long mass of earth broke loose near the Wagenrunse in Schwanden. A second landslide followed two and a half hours later. A total of 30,000 cubic meters of mud buried numerous houses. No one was injured.

One year later, the majority of the destroyed buildings have been demolished, as a media inspection in Schwanden on Tuesday showed. Parallel to the demolition work, the 6.5 meter high protective dam is already being built. It is intended to protect the surrounding houses from the material that is still in danger of falling.

In response to a question from Keystone-SDA, a representative of the municipality of Glarus Süd said that the amount of damage was in the double-digit millions. It was one of the most expensive single events in the whole of Switzerland.