Swisstown again at risk of rock avalanche, months-long evacuation possible

Residents of the town of Brienz GR in Switzerland may have to leave their homes for months. The town of about 90 people is at risk of an avalanche. Last year, residents had to stay elsewhere for weeks.

Brienz is located at an altitude of about 1150 meters, near Davos. There is a chance that 1.2 million cubic meters of debris will fall this time. Last night there was a meeting for the residents of the town in the eastern canton of Graubünden.

There is a lot of frustration among residents, says a reporter from the Swiss broadcaster SRF. “They are saddened by the thought of having to pack their things again. It’s not just the people who have to be evacuated. Livestock and pets also need a new home.”

The amount of debris that threatens to fall on the city is moving at a speed of around 25 centimeters per day. Rain or boulders could make that speed reach 80 kilometers per hour or more, a geologist told the residents. There is little chance of that happening, but when it does, there is no need to warn anymore.

In May 2023, the townspeople had to pack up all their belongings. A few weeks later a lot of debris and stones fell. The residents were lucky because the power came to a stop right in front of the town. After 52 days they were allowed to return home.

Anyway, the whole town is sliding downhill at a rate of 2.4 meters a year. To slow down that process, work began this year on extending a tunnel to drain water from the mountain. The work started this year and is expected to last 3.5 years.