Is Mother Nature cruel? “It’s ground zero for Blatten,” says the Swiss town’s mayor, after its 592 years of history were wiped out in just 40 seconds by an avalanche.1
The village swallowed by a glacier
How Blatten was flattened: The village is now almost completely covered by dirt, ice and rock that is dozens of metres thick and two kilometres long. Glossary
Glacier - A mass of very slowly moving snow and ice. Experts believe that at their fullest extent, during the Ice Age, glaciers covered 30% of the Earth's surface.
Avalanches - When snow, ice or rocks falls rapidly down a mountainside.
Global warming - The Earth is getting hotter due to climate change.
Droughts - A time when there is not enough water and the ground is very dry.
Conservationist - Someone who works to protect plant and animal species and their habitats.
Equity - Fairness and justice. It is different to equality.
Adapt - Change to fit a new situation.
Foe - Enemy.