Switzerland — A growing crack on a mountainside in Switzerland is raising red flags after rapidly widening in recent months, signaling the potential for a dangerous landslide above a populated valley. Swiss Info reports the fracture, now roughly 2.5 to 3 feet wide and expanding by up to a fraction of an inch per day, sits above the village of Chippis and could eventually send as much as 650,000 cubic yards of rock crashing down into the Navizence River.
If that happens, experts warn the debris could dam the river and trigger flooding in the valley below, putting around 1,500 residents at risk. While officials say a collapse isn’t imminent, evacuation plans are already in place as snowmelt and continued rainfall could accelerate movement on the slope. The instability is tied to extreme flooding events in recent years, which eroded the riverbed and removed support from the base of the mountain. Various measuring devices have been installed that will sound an alarm if the movement accelerates
Situations like this are becoming more common across the Alps, where heavier and more intense rain events are putting increasing stress on steep terrain. Scientists say warming temperatures are allowing storms to hold more moisture, leading to stronger downpours and a higher risk of landslides, flash floods and slope failures. In this valley alone, dozens of other unstable zones have already been identified, pointing to a growing problem for mountain communities.
