Debris cone in landslide-hit Blatten over 100 metres high in places

According to the head of the Valais Natural Hazards Office, the cone of debris from the landslide in Blatten is over 100 metres high in places. Raphaël Mayoraz told the media that no cracks or major collapses of the pile of rubble have been detected so far. However, this could change as soon as the ice begins to melt, Mayoraz said in an interview with the newspapers Walliser Bote, Le Nouvelliste and ArcInfo on Monday. The debris cone consists of six million cubic metres of rubble and debris. In addition, there are three million cubic metres of ice, he said. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox If the ice melts, mudflows could occur, said Mayoraz. However, he was confident that the Ferden dam wall further down the valley would be able to absorb them. Simulations have shown this. However, should several events occur simultaneously, the villages of Gampel and Steg would also have to be evacuated, he said. The Lonza River poses a further risk. If the water carves ...