Glacier Collapse Sparks Chaos in Swiss Alps Village

A significant portion of a glacier in the Swiss Alps broke off, sending ice and rock hurtling into a small mountain village, previously evacuated over rockslide threats. Despite extensive damage to the town of Blatten, officials reported no human casualties. The incident was captured in a dramatic viral video.

A major glacier collapse in the Swiss Alps has resulted in a substantial flow of ice and rock descending onto a mountain village that was evacuated beforehand due to a rockslide risk, officials disclosed on Wednesday afternoon.

According to Matthias Ebener, a local authorities' spokesperson, a massive quantity of material swept into the valley. While no human casualties have been reported yet, the deluge inflicted severe damage on buildings and infrastructure in Blatten. The village had been vacated due to imminent avalanche threats identified earlier this month, said Ebener.

Authorities in Switzerland have been vigilant about monitoring the slopes above Blatten since residents were ordered to flee on May 19. Footage of the partial glacier collapse, which was widely shared online, depicted the alarming scene of a cloud of debris enveloping parts of the mountain and surging toward the village outskirts.

(With inputs from agencies.)