Characteristics and Cascading Effects of the Blatten Avalanche in the Swiss Alps
Li Bin
Gao Yang
Zhuang Yu
Liu Xiaojie
Zhang Han
Qin Linpeng
Guo Zhen
Yin Yueping
Abstract：On 28 May 2025,a large rock-ice avalanche occurred at the Blatten village in Valais,Switzerland.The failure mobilized approximately 8.3 million m³ of material,traveled 3 300 m,and deposited over an area of 2.66 km².The Blatten avalanche caused one fatality,buried the Blatten village and dammed the Lonza River.Integrating remote sensing analysis,seismic signal interpretation and numerical modeling,this study reconstructs the event and identifies its pronounced cascade amplification effects.The failure evolved through three distinct stages:high-altitude collapse,glacier melting and deformation,and transformation into a long-runout avalanche.Progressive debris accumulation and gradual glacier weakening were the key drivers of the large-scale hazard.In addition,low-friction ice and meltwater markedly reduced motion resistance,facilitating the long-runout movement.These findings highlight the need to account for the potential of multiple small-scale failures cascading into catastrophic events in avalanche risk assessments.The Blatten disaster offers important implications for hazard zoning and the planning of major infrastructure projects in high-mountain regions of western China.
Keywords：Blatten avalancheinitiation processcascade amplificationdynamicLPF3Dengineering geology
Publication Date：2025-12-30
Online Publishing Date：2026-01-26(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：20( 4950-4969 )