The authorities of eastern Switzerland have ordered residents of the village of Brienz to evacuate. According to geologists, a mass of rocks with a volume of 2 million cubic meters, which is hanging over their heads, could fall in the coming weeks.
The Guardian reports that officials have said that local residents must leave by 6:00 pm on Friday, but they may be able to return to the village from time to time depending on the level of risk, but not stay overnight.
Officials stated that measurements have shown “strong acceleration over a large area” in recent days, and “up to 2 million cubic meters of rock material will fall or slide in the next 7-24 days.”
This ancient village is located southwest of Davos at an altitude of about 1150 meters. Today, there are less than 100 inhabitants living there. According to local residents, the mountain and the rocks on it have been moving since the last ice age.
The ancient village is located to the southwest of Davos at an altitude of around 1150 meters. Today, there are less than 100 inhabitants living there. According to the locals, the mountain and the rocks on it have been moving since the last ice age.
Over the past century, the village has been moving a few centimeters per year, but over the last 20 years, this movement has accelerated, and now the landslide is shifting at a rate of approximately one meter per year. Geological studies show that the situation has become even more dangerous.
Christian Hartmann, a member of the Crisis Management Council in the city of Albula, which includes Brienz, said that according to experts’ estimates, there is a 60% chance that the rock will break into smaller pieces that may not even reach the village. There is also a 10% chance that the entire mass of 2 million cubic meters could fall down, endangering lives, property, and the village itself.
According to Hartmann, experts considered a controlled explosion too dangerous because it would require drilling under the rock, which is itself a dangerous operation. He added that building a giant sand pile or a wall to try to block the rift is not possible, saying that the wall’s height should be at least 70 meters to protect the village.
It was expected that many evacuees would stay with family or friends, although local officials received offers from concerned neighbors to provide temporary housing, said Hartmann.
