While the instability of the Birch mountain increased the fear of a risk of flooding in the valley, the Swiss authorities announced that such scenario was dismissed. On Wednesday, May 28, millions of cubic meters of ice and rocks crashed in the Blatten town in Switzerland, creating a natural prey that prevents water from the Lonza River.
On Thursday morning, the authorities were still considering a disaster, namely a sudden break in the rubble battery. The waters of the artificial lake, which continue to grow, would have flooded the valley.
“Unlikely” floods
But “we have had information from geologists, specialists who tend to tell us that it is unlikely that such an event will happen,” said Thursday night during a pressing of press Stéphane Ganzer, the head of the Security Department of the Canton of Valais, where the disaster occurred.
The disaster valley extends for a little less than 30 kilometers and has a total of 1,500 inhabitants. It is a place recognized for its very picturesque landscapes, its small traditional peoples and their spectacular hiking routes. But after the landslide of the birch glacier, the landscape changes forever.
Lonza water blocked by rock dough and ice increased around 80 centimeters per hour last night, observed journalists from journalists RTS. If the flow has slowed down a bit, the waters of Lonza continue to accumulate.
“It seems unlikely that the lake suddenly breaks this huge mass of debris that results from the landslide of yesterday (Wednesday). It is unlikely, but we do not like this unlikely word here since yesterday, because we know that it is likely to be probable,” he insisted on Stésphane Ganzer.
As a result, evacuation plans are being studied, and it has been reported that municipalities and populations are ready for any eventuality, has further detailed the head of the Security Department of the Canton of Valais.
Due to the configuration and composition of the dam, it is not excluded that a “progressive erosion” moves tons of rubble or when “the rubble are fluid and fluid gradually,” said Christian Studer, of the cantonal service of natural hazards.
A man is always missing
The investigation was carried out to find the 64 -year -old man who has disappeared as a result of the collapse of the birch’s glacier was suspended Thursday for the same security reasons that prevents compensation work.
The 300 inhabitants of the Batten village were evacuated by prevention since May 19, nine days before disaster. Other sixteen people have been preventively evacuated downstream in two other villages in the Lötschental.
Lock is an almost unprecedented event in the Alpine country. At the end of August 2017, around 3.1 million cubic meters of rock had fallen from the Cangalo Pizzo, an alpine summit in the canton of Graubünden, not far from the Italian border. The landslide had cost eight hikers.
The torrential lavas that had followed had transported around 500,000 cubic meters of rock and mud to the town of Bondo, causing significant material damage, but no other victim.
Source: BFM TV
