Swiss Village Faces Potential Landslide as Thawing Permafrost Undermines Alpine Stability

In Kandersteg, a 1,300‑resident Swiss village in the Bern canton, a massive rock formation known as Spitze Stei is becoming increasingly unstable. Scientists link the threat to the thawing of permafrost and the retreat of nearby glaciers, both driven by rising temperatures. The risk is heightened by a similar event last year when a large rock‑ice mass collapsed into the Loetschental valley, covering the village of Blatten in mud and forcing its evacuation. Local residents, including Brigitte Jüni, say authorities have taken all possible precautions, but acknowledge the unpredictable nature of the situation. Professor Markus Stoffel of the University of Geneva notes that climate change is accelerating the melting of both glaciers and permafrost, thereby raising the likelihood of such landslides in the Alps.