What Causes Glaciers to Collapse like the Event That Buried a Swiss Village?

image via New Scientist

May 30, 2025, 5:30 PM

• •Climate change and thawing permafrost destabilize glaciers.
• •A glacier collapse in the Swiss Alps caused a landslide that buried a village.
• •Experts are investigating the factors that weakened the glacier's stability.
• •Glacial lake outburst floods and melting glaciers pose risks to communities.
• •Strategies to slow ice melt and memorialize disappearing glaciers are being explored.

A glacier in the Swiss Alps collapsed, triggering a landslide that buried the village of Blatten and caused significant damage, with climate change and thawing permafrost playing key roles in destabilizing the glacier. Experts are investigating the causes, including rockfalls and longer-term environmental factors, while highlighting the broader risks of glacial lake outburst floods and other dangers associated with melting glaciers. Research indicates that under current climate policies, a significant portion of the world's glacial mass could disappear by the end of the century, emphasizing the need for strategies to mitigate ice melt and memorialize the loss of glaciers. This event serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of a changing climate and the importance of addressing the issue.

Read original article