With brushes, spatulas and a lot of patience Volunteers clean Weissenried after landslide in Blatten VS
A local resident, Arnold Rubin, removes dirt from the façade of his chalet with a brush.
Image: Keystone
Over 70 volunteers and local residents traveled to the Lötschental on Saturday to clean the hamlet of Weissenried.
Image: Keystone
The sometimes fragile monuments have to be carefully cleared of dirt by hand.
Image: Keystone
A local resident, Arnold Rubin, removes dirt from the façade of his chalet with a brush.
Image: Keystone
Over 70 volunteers and local residents traveled to the Lötschental on Saturday to clean the hamlet of Weissenried.
Image: Keystone
The sometimes fragile monuments have to be carefully cleared of dirt by hand.
Image: Keystone
Following the devastating landslide in Blatten VS, over 70 volunteers carried out a clean-up operation in the neighboring hamlet of Weissenried on Saturday. The village with its historic buildings was covered in a huge cloud of dust as a result of the event.
11.10.2025, 14:33
11.10.2025, 15:19
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- After the devastating landslide in Blatten VS, there is great solidarity with those affected.
- More than 70 volunteers carried out a clean-up operation in the hamlet of Weissenried on Saturday.
- The cone of debris from the landslide came to a halt just a few meters from Weissenried on the opposite side of the valley.
"The aim is to breathe new life into the hamlet so that people can return as quickly as possible," says Urs Heimberg, President of the Blatten Foundation and professor of architecture at Bern University of Applied Sciences. The aim is to strengthen both the cultural heritage and the sense of community in the Lötschental.
The cone of debris from the landslide came to a halt just a few meters from Weissenried on the opposite side of the valley. However, the shock wave covered all the facades with dirt and damaged some of them. The buildings, including around 80 historic structures, are listed in the Federal Inventory of Sites of National Importance.
Precision work instead of high pressure
The cleaning was correspondingly tricky: High-pressure cleaners were taboo - the risk of damaging the centuries-old wooden facades would have been too great. Instead, the helpers used brushes, spatulas and a lot of patience. Chalets, barns, a chapel dating back to 1787, a village crossroads and a fountain were cleaned.
The campaign was not only a cost-effective alternative to professional companies, but also a sign of solidarity in action. "Everyone helps as much as they can," explains Heimberg. As the canton of Valais does not have compulsory insurance against natural hazards, it was all the more important to protect uninsured buildings.
"The campaign also brings a bit of normality back to the valley. It's important that everyone sees: There is a future here," continues the foundation president. The foundation has received around three million francs in donations since the disaster in spring. This is intended to fulfill the mission of preserving and restoring the cultural landscape and heritage.
A roundabout route to the goal
The mission was also logistically challenging: Weissenried is located in a restricted zone that can only be entered with permission from the cantonal police. Most of the volunteers had to reach the site via footpaths, as roads were damaged or destroyed. A temporary access road made of earth was used especially for older helpers.
The money raised by the foundation will be used for the long-term reconstruction and maintenance of the cultural heritage. The actual reconstruction of the destroyed village of Blatten remains the task of the authorities.
Another clean-up campaign in Weissenried is planned for October 25.
