In video clips on social media, enormous masses of ice and rock are storming down a mountainside towards the adjacent valley where the town is located.
In images, parts of the settlement are seen buried under the masses.
The 300 inhabitants were evacuated last week. The Birsch glacier in the mountains above Lötschental has moved several meters a day in the direction of the valley. On Tuesday evening, increased movements were observed, and at 15:30 on Wednesday, a massive collapse occurred.
The fact that the glacier has started sliding down the valley is due to its decreasing surface area. Analyses show that it has lost large volumes since July last year, in some places with a depth of 101 meters.
Swiss glaciers, heavily affected by climate change, melted as much between 2023 as between 1960 and 1990.
