The Valais local government said the damage is "considerable," with one person missing and homes under debris.

The collapse of the Swiss Birch glacier serves as a chilling warning of the escalating dangers faced by communities worldwide living under the shadow of fragile ice, particularly in Asia, experts say.

In Blatten, Switzerland, the aftermath of a glacier avalanche is creating increasingly difficult conditions. Water, blocked by the resulting landslide, threatens to flood additional towns. Key information The glacier avalanche destroyed part of the village of Blatten in Switzerland.