The Alps Are Falling: Can Switzerland Stop The Next Disaster? | Beyond Borders

The glacier that collapsed in Nepal's Himalayas killed thousands of people. Scientists say what triggered it is happening across Europe too. When a mountain collapsed onto a Swiss village in seconds, they warned it wouldn’t be the last. The Swiss Alps are among the most spectacular landscapes on Earth. But beneath these majestic peaks, the mountains are changing fast, putting entire communities in the line of fire. Switzerland is now on the frontline of climate change. The Alps are warming more than twice the global average. As a result, glaciers are retreating, permafrost is thawing, and mountainsides are cleaving apart. In May 2025, the village of Blatten was destroyed by tonnes and tonnes of rock, ice and water thundering down the mountainside. Its displaced community is now reckoning with whether people can ever safely live again in the place their families have called home for centuries. Beyond Borders travels through Switzerland to witness these dramatic changes firsthand. The ruins of Blatten, the rapidly retreating Rhône Glacier, the shifting slopes of Brienz and Kandersteg, and the mountain lakes threatening to flood the valleys below. This isn't just a disaster story, though. Scientists, engineers and communities are finding ways to control these deadly forces: draining unstable slopes, tracking glacial lakes, and weighing the cost of protecting an ancient way of life. Is it possible to stand in the way of nature, and win? 0:00 — Introduction: The Alps Are Falling 1:25 — Blatten Landslide: Glacier Collapse Caught on Camera 3:55 — Why Blatten Is Being Rebuilt 5:56 — Driving Into the Landslide Zone 7:45 — Helicopter Tour of a Burst Glacial Lake 9:45 — 600 Glacial Lakes at Risk of Bursting 11:05 — Switzerland's Melting Glaciers & Hydropower 12:20 — Permafrost Thaw Threatens Power Stations 13:40 — Rhône Glacier: Racing to Save the Ice 15:32 — The Fios Crack: Switzerland's Next Landslide? 16:58 — Brienz Rockfall: 2 Million Cubic Metres of Rock 17:29 — Draining a Mountain to Stop It Sliding 18:40 — Living in a Swiss Avalanche Red Zone 21:35 — Snow Farming: Saving Ski Season From Climate Change 23:10 — Brienz Farmer Returns After Evacuation 24:53 — Can Switzerland Stop Climate Disaster? Follow Beyond Borders on Instagram: Instagram: beyondbordersshow Follow Beyond Borders on TikTok: TikTok: beyondborderstrtworld Email us: [email protected] Everyone has a story. #SwissAlps #Switzerland #ClimateChange #Glaciers #Permafrost #GlobalWarming #Landslide #Nepal #HimalayanGlacier #Documentary #BeyondBorders #TRTWorld