Authorities say a small Alpine river dammed by a landslide that largely buried the Swiss village of Blatten is now flowing through the debris, and the level of a newly created lake that raised worries about potential new destruction has fallen.

In the Swiss valley of Lötschental, a dramatic landslide nearly destroyed the mountain village of Blatten entirely. A massive avalanche of ice and rocks swept away the buildings. As reported by the German newspaper "Bild,

Villagers lost their entire livelihood within minutes. One former resident lost their wooden family house built in 1654. Meanwhile the Swiss Army is on standby for further assistance.

The landslide that buried a Swiss village and riverbed is refocusing attention on the role of global warming in glacier collapses around the world.

In the Swiss valley of Lötschental, a dramatic landslide nearly destroyed the mountain village of Blatten. A massive avalanche of ice and rocks swept away the buildings. According to the German newspaper "Bild,

Switzerland is a success story in predicting landslides — but more must be done to help the rest of the world prepare for these deadly, unpredictable disasters.

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