Population evacuated - Brienz: Village faces imminent landslide

Several rockfalls have hit the evacuated Swiss mountain village of Brienz in recent days, with a major landslide imminent.

In the village, located in southeastern Switzerland, residents have faced evacuation orders since May 12th, affecting around 100 inhabitants.

With rumblings becoming more violent, a major landslide is expected within weeks and could see up to two million cubic metres of rock break away.

Large boulders have been falling for several days, but have not yet reached the village. The rate of sliding at the area of the slope that is in danger of breaking off is increasing and is now more than 25 centimetres per day.

The slope near Brienz has been slipping for years, primarily due to the soil conditions underground. The sliding mass stands on a smeary layer of clay. Water seeping in further increases the sliding ability.

Experts believe that the increasing speed of the slide is related to the precipitation of the past weeks.

According to the geologists in charge, there are different scenarios when a landslip occurs: The most likely scenario is that there will be several major rockfalls.

Depending on their size, these could partially reach and destroy the village.

A large landslide in which the entire mass of the slide thunders down into the valley at once is rather unlikely as things stand at present. In this variant, a railway line and a river would be buried. The third scenario assumes a rapid landslide.

From May 12th, community command staff imposed a RED alert. This means that the village of Brienz with its access roads and the endangered areas may no longer be entered.

If a major landslide is expected within a day, authorities will impose the highest alert level: the BLUE phase. This sees the access road in the valley and a section of a nearby railway line closed.