Swiss village of Kandersteg faces potential landslide from the Spitze Stei rock formation as permafrost thaws due to climate change.
The village of Kandersteg, located in Switzerland’s Bern canton, faces a looming landslide threat from the Spitze Stei rock formation. Scientists indicate that thawing permafrost and melting glaciers, driven by the rising temperatures of climate change, are making mountain slopes increasingly unstable. Markus Stoffel, a professor for climate change and natural risks at the University of Geneva, explained that ice acts as a cement for mountain debris; as it melts, the slopes become less stable. While a massive collapse of the 15-20 million cubic meters of rock could trigger a natural disaster, experts suggest the rock is more likely to be broken down gradually. Local residents, including Brigitte Jüni and Rudolf Isler, remain calm as authorities have prepared evacuation plans and constant monitoring systems. Nathan Solothurnmann, a climate and energy expert for Greenpeace Switzerland, noted that while landslides will become more common, the high cost of protecting infrastructure may eventually make living in certain valleys impractical.