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NuseReal: Blatten

Blatten roundup

Blatten damages estimated at CHF320 million, payments already started (LINK in French) 17 June 2025

— CHF260 millions for buildings and goods, CHF60 million in lost earnings and vehicles. Insurance companies have started payouts. A 2023 hailstorm caused comparable damage in Locarno in 2023 in a few minutes.

Landslide-hit Swiss villager vote to build new within five years (LINK) 13 June 2025

Around 30 residents evacuated from Les Epenays, a village near Lourtier in Val de Bagnes, Valais, due to heavy rainfall causing debris flows (LINK) 9 June 2025https://www.rts.ch/info/regions/valais/2025/article/valais-10-millions-pour-blatten-et-plan-contre-le-dereglement-climatique-28909993.html

— A mudslide on 8 June tore away the temporary emergency bridge in the upper Val de Bagnes. There is now only a pedestrian and cycle path link to the village of Lourtier. A small lake has also formed, but this does not currently pose any danger.

— 30 people evacuated from Haut Val de Bagnes after torrential rains block road to Lourtier (400 inhabitants), where supplies have been delivered by helicopter — (LINK)

Valley reopens to tourists above Goppenstein to Wiler (LINK in French)

— "Despite the dreary weather, a small number of tourists made the journey on the first day. In the cable car from Wiler to Lauchernalp, they were able to see the measure of what had happened further up the valley." Drones are flying over the area and anyone getting to close to the disaster zone risks a fine. In Lauchernalp, however, a hotelier at the 1900m-altitude resort urged tourists to come, keep up the region's reputation as an enjoyable place to visit and keep the six employees in their jobs.

13 inhabitants of Blatten, Eisten and Weissenried allowed to visit homes for 1 hour to collect urgently needed material: road due to be opened for working machines from Wiler to Weissenried to ensure supply of water and power (LINK) 6 June 2025

On the Pulse with Silki (LINK YouTube 11:26 min) 6 June 2025

Controversy over insurance against natural catastrophes: not

obligatory in Blatten's Valais (LINK) 6 June 2025

— 19 of the 26 Swiss cantons and half cantons require insurance against natural catastrophes. Not Valais, after a Socialist Party (PS) proposal failed in a 2016 referendum. Now the PS is considering a new effort, citing Rhone River flooding in recent years costing millions in official expenditure as well as Blatten. It's opposed by the Liberal Party (PLR), which says most people's buildings are insured against natural dangers, and it is obligatory when you take out a mortgage. It is not known how many houses in Blatten are insured against natural dangers, says

— Petit Nesthorn peak still losing rocks, but rubble halted where high glacier had been. Lake created in Blatten by ice and water slightly lower. Downriver dam at Ferden emptied for melt is filling slowly. But security zone declared in Gampel-Steg, home to 3,000 people downstream. Sole death in disaster said to be 64-year-old sheep breeder who died in his stable at Tännmattä 30m outside the official evacuation zone. Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter visited Lötschental and met victims on 30 May. Defence Minister Martin Pfister met for second time with villagers at Wiler on Saturday with no media allowed. Swiss charity has received CHF11 million to aid victims. Other cantons also offer financial support: Geneva CHF1m. Authorities have contacted all owners of holiday residences in the valley to ask them whether they will rent out their places to the 360 people displaced for up to 3 years. Blatten accounted for 80% of the hotel nights spent in Lötschental.

— From the Walliser Bote: Canton Wallis sets aside CHF30,000 for each Blatten resident displaced by glacier and rock slide. Canton has CHF186.0m in reserves and can add CHF96.5m more. CHF42m already set aside. Romand Lottery also has CHF5m for non-insured losses. Christophe Darbellay, Economics Minister in the Valais Cantonal Government, said three hotel businesses in Loetschental were destroyed by the disaster and the valley might need another hotel. Where is not clear but "the important thing is, that access to Fafleralp is available, provided it can be made safe." In fact, plans have been discussed for a long time for a new resort at Lauchneralp (above Wiler, the closest village to Blatten). Investors are ready and work could start on the project relatively soon, according to Darbellay. Other affected businesses would receive support, along with employment compensation for staff. As for agriculture, eight businesses have destroyed. They would not be required to pay back loans from banks and the state. The Canton is willing to pay these businesses their subsidies for 2025 and 2026 even though the fields no longer exist, and credits for planned building of stables will not have to be repaid.

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