A catastrophic landslide has devastated the picturesque Swiss village of Blatten.
Triggered by the collapse of a glacier above the village, the event unleashed a torrent of rock, mud, and ice that buried roughly 90% of the area, leaving only a handful of buildings partially visible.
The collapse was caused by accelerated glacier melting, a direct consequence of rising global temperatures and climate change.
Experts say that warming air and water temperatures have destabilized the ice masses in the region, leading to increasingly frequent and severe landslides.
Emergency crews are racing against time to search for any survivors amid the thick mud and debris.
Officials have confirmed that dozens of residents are missing and that the destruction has cut off critical access routes, complicating rescue efforts.
The tragedy underscores the vulnerability of mountain communities in the Alps as glaciers continue to retreat at alarming rates.
Scientists warn that unless urgent action is taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, similar climate-driven disasters will become more common in Switzerland and beyond.
