A massive rockslide narrowly missed the tiny village of Brienz in Switzerland, which had been evacuated last month due to the threat of rockfall. The rockslide stopped just short of the settlement of fewer than 100 residents, leaving the village unharmed. The rubble from the rockslide was nearly 40 feet deep, and an access road was completely buried under the debris. Local authorities were relieved with the outcome and said residents would likely be able to return, but further evaluations are needed. Swiss authorities warn of a growing risk of natural hazards in the country due to climate change.
A massive rockslide narrowly missed the evacuated village of Brienz in Switzerland, with 50 million cubic feet of rock coming down the slope on Thursday night. The rubble from the rockslide was nearly 40 feet deep, and an access road was completely buried under the debris. Although authorities are working on further evaluations, residents are likely to be able to return soon. The incident highlights the growing risk of natural hazards in Switzerland due to climate change, including an increase in erosion because of higher temperatures.
A massive rockslide narrowly missed the Swiss village of Brienz, which was evacuated last month due to the risk of a potential disaster. The rockslide stopped just short of the village, leaving a "meters-high deposit" in front of the school building. Geologists had warned that the Alpine rock looming over the village could break loose, and in recent days, rock movements on the slope were accelerating. Officials couldn't yet say when they might be able to end the evacuation, but the chances of a permanent return are very high.
A large rockfall narrowly missed the Swiss mountain village of Brienz, which had been evacuated last month over fears of a landslide. The rock and scree missed the empty hamlet “by a hair”. The area had been declared a danger zone of the highest level possible, forcing the closure of two roads and a train line. The shifting conditions above Brienz were the result of natural erosion, experts said.
A large mass of rock slid down a mountainside above the evacuated Swiss village of Brienz, stopping just short of the settlement. The village was evacuated last month after geology experts warned that the Alpine rock looming over the village could break loose. The rockslide came a bit over a week after residents of Brienz were allowed to make their first visits back to the village since the evacuation to retrieve essential items from their houses. Authorities stepped the alert level up another notch after the rockslide as a precaution, closing some local roads and a railway line and evacuating two houses in the neighboring village of Surava.
The residents of Brienz, a small village in Switzerland, have been ordered to evacuate their homes due to the risk of a potential rockfall caused by a chunk of the Lenzerhorn mountain that may collapse. The movement of the rock has accelerated significantly, prompting officials to move to "phase orange," meaning a rockfall or landslide is expected within one-to-three weeks. Climate change is putting Switzerland and other countries at greater risk of natural disasters, as higher temperatures increase erosion, officials say. The outcome of the potential rockfall "cannot be predicted until the last moment," according to officials.
The leaders of Brienz, Switzerland have ordered residents to evacuate as a nearby rock mass threatens to collapse, which could be the result of accelerated glacier melt destabilizing the slope above the town. The evacuation comes after warnings that 2 million cubic meters of rock could fall on the town within the next 7 days. Brienz's leaders held a meeting on Tuesday night to order residents to get out by Friday evening.
Residents of the Swiss village of Brienz have been ordered to evacuate due to a potential rockslide caused by a mass of 2 million cubic meters of Alpine rock that could break loose and spill down in the coming weeks. The village, which has under 100 residents, straddles German- and Romansch-speaking parts of the eastern Graubunden region. The movement of the mountain and rocks on it has been accelerating in recent days, and up to 2 million cubic meters of rock material will collapse or slide in the coming seven to 24 days. Local officials estimate a 60% chance that the rock will fall in smaller chunks, but there's also a 10% chance that the whole mass may tumble down, threatening lives, property, and the village itself.
Residents of Brienz, a tiny village in eastern Switzerland, have been ordered to evacuate by Friday evening due to a mass of 2 million cubic meters of Alpine rock that could break loose and spill down in the coming weeks. The village straddles German- and Romansch-speaking parts of the eastern Graubunden region and has under 100 residents. Geology experts have warned that up to 2 million cubic meters of rock material will collapse or slide in the coming seven to 24 days, threatening lives, property, and the village itself.
The Swiss village of Brienz has been ordered to evacuate immediately due to an imminent rockslide of two million cubic metres of rock from the mountain above. The village has been judged a geological risk for some time, with the mountainside above Brienz breaking apart and accelerating in recent years. The evacuation order came suddenly on Tuesday morning after latest risk assessments showed a rockslide was imminent. Switzerland's Alpine regions are especially sensitive to global warming, causing the rock to become unstable. The villagers hope to return to their homes, but the extent of the damage is unknown.
