After just one day, a total of 270.000 francs have been raised to give to the families whose homes had to be evacuated after the major landslide in Schwanden, Canton Glarus. The money will go towards helping the 112 people who have been affected by the disaster.

30 families cannot return to homes in Schwanden, Switzerland

While it didn’t get the same amount of press as the landslide in Brienz / Brinzauls, a total of 112 people were forced to be evacuated from the town of Schwanden early in 2023, as a large landslide loomed over the community in the mountains. On August 29, 2023, these warnings became a reality when 30.000 cubic meters of earth and rubble thundered towards the village. The slide was 400 metres long and buried half a dozen houses. Luckily, no one was injured.

Four months on and 61 people from 35 different households have still been unable to return to their homes. For 40 unlucky residents, the emergency services and local council have said that they will never be able to return to their homes as there is still “immediate danger to life and limb” in the area where they used to live. 

To make the site of the landslide more secure, 70 buildings, many of them rented or owned homes, will be demolished. While many families will be able to recoup their losses through insurance, many still will be left out of pocket as they try to start their lives anew.

Nearly 700.000 Swiss francs raised to help landslide victims

To help those affected by the disaster, the local community of Schwanden set up a fund to help collect donations. By mid-November, only 390.000 francs had been raised, which is why together with the local media, officials called for a day of donations on December 15.

Now, authorities can reveal that a whopping 270.000 francs were raised in just 24 hours. This means that 695.248 francs will be given to the families forced to restart their lives thanks to the disaster.