Swiss mountain regions at risk
 

This article popped up on one of my news sites and thought it was worth sharing. A sobering article about a place much loved. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-...rost/106385694 This isn't something which might happen one day, it's happening now and in the near future, and raises all sorts of ethical questions.

Thanks. The phenomena concerns he whole alpine area, from Southern France up to Eastern Austria.
As to Switzerland, the most dramatic phenomena of this tiype destroyed the whole city of Plurs, with more than 2000 inhabitants. That was in 1618.
The mountain slide at Arth-Goldau (40 milion m*) killed about 500 people. That was in 1806.
So: Switzerland is used to this kind of phenomena.
But now,, we have all kinds of technical skills to predict them, like at Randa, Kandersteg, Bondo, Blatten or Brinzauls.
As to the costs of reconstruction of Bondo: try to buy a house for less than a million in the Swiss midlands, almost impossible!

We've watched the reconstruction at Bondo over the course of several years. And now I guess we'll be keeping an eye on the reconstruction of Blatten. I can't even imagine the costs involved.

neckervd, your point about these things having happened over a long time is of course valid but these problems are escalating due to climate change. I'm glad that we have the technology to predict some of these events and save lives but worry that the pace of impact is rising.

One of the problems when it comes to rebuilding is that many insurance companies insist the building is rebuilt where it is, rather than giving the money so people can start over in a safer area. The same thing happened in the Ahrtal in Germany after te devastating and lethal flooding there a few year ago. So people are trapped living in an area which is known to be dangerous, because they can not afford to move away.


The climate crisis is making all of this much worse throughout Europe which is being badly hit by the changing weather patterns - look at Spain, Portugal and parts of France this winter hit by storm after storm, flood after flood, yet this summer they will be arid ovens.

The vanishing glaciers will result in rivers drying at their source, which will affect all of the continent. Water shortages are already a problem in some countries.

One ethical problem is websites like this that encourage flying to places, many of which are struggling with visitor numbers, not only at the major sites, but also putting a huge strain on infrastructure and resources. Yes they bring in money, but at what cost?

The pace of impact is rising, of course! But by far not all earth slides due to permafrost end down in the valley. The topography of mountain areas is much more complicated. There are many hidden planes or glaciers where such things end without causing damage, except on hiking trails. For that reason, the famous "Europe Trail" Graechen - Zermatt is closed between Graechen and Kuonen Bridge since years, BTW..
Furthermore one can do a lot to prevent damage, by constructing dams in order to deviate or even stop stone avalanches (like above Brienz) or buy constructing railway and road tunnels in dangerous zones (like between Visp and Zermatt).