Randa raises monitoring after three Weisshorn glacier breakoffs

Randa has raised monitoring of the Weisshorn East hanging glacier to level three after stronger movements over the weekend and three glacier breakoffs on Monday, SRF reported. The municipality says the village is not in danger.

The danger zone has been in place since June, when cycling routes and hiking trails were closed and entry was prohibited. Randa Mayor Frederic Imboden said the glacier had been monitored for years and that its movements varied in strength.

Norbert Carlen, the Valais cantonal engineer responsible for natural hazards, expects another breakoff but cannot predict whether it will involve a large or small section of the glacier. In the worst case, several hundred thousand cubic metres of ice could break away. Even then, he said, the village would not be threatened.

The Weisshorn East glacier lies at around 4,000 metres above sea level above Randa. Carlen said the authorities, the municipality and safety teams had taken all possible measures to protect residents.

Randa has experienced several glacier breakoffs in the past. Glaciologist Martin Funk said such events were normal for hanging glaciers, which eventually become too large to hold together. He said the municipality had used instruments for more than 10 years to monitor avalanches from the Weisshorn down to the valley. If a larger avalanche occurs, roads and railways are closed automatically.

The municipality will continue assessing whether the heightened danger persists or the situation improves.