Residents of Brienz told they can finally return home

After two months on the alert, residents of the rockslide-threatened town of Brienz / Brinzauls in Canton Graubünden can finally return home. The evacuation order in place since May 2023 has now been lifted on the town, although some warnings do remain for areas of the nearby mountain.

Residents of Brienz told they can return home

Two months after residents were first warned about a rockslide, and 52 days after they were told to evacuate, the residents of the small town of Brienz in Switzerland are finally able to return home. The evacuation order was lifted by the local council (Gemeinde) at midnight on July 4. 

The news will come as a huge relief for the 84 residents of the town, and those who own property in the area. For years, the town of Brienz has been threatened by a severe rockslide, caused by the fact that the mountainside and town itself sit on a piece of land floating on a layer of water. This means the town and the hill have been slowly sliding down into the valley, increasing the chance of rockfalls and rockslides.

Huge rockslide misses Brienz on June 15

The accelerated movement of the mountainside led to a warning from the emergency services on April 4, calling for locals to get to safety by the end of 2023. This escalated on May 10, when residents were given just days to pack up their belongings and leave, with experts predicting that up to 2 million cubic metres of rock risked falling on the village at any minute.

Then, just over a month later on June 15, 1,2 million cubic metres of rock slid down the mountain towards the town. Luckily, the slide missed Brienz by “a hair’s breadth”, local officials said at the time.

Brienz / Brinzauls returns to normal from July 4

Finally, on Monday July 3, the municipality of Albula / Alvra - the council that runs Brienz - announced that “staying in the village is now safe again” and that residents could return to their homes from midnight.

From July 4, the entry ban placed on the village will only extend to areas above Brienz, and some hiking trails will remain closed for the time being. Drivers will be able to access the town from the east, although access from the west will remain reserved for residents, second homeowners and suppliers. Local airspace will also reopen.

Rockslides still loom for Swiss town

However, officials told Watson that while Brienz is safe for the moment, rockslides do remain a possibility. In a statement, they noted that a future threat could come to the village via a “plateau” of rock high up in the hills. They explained that between 2 and 4 million cubic metres of brittle rock could still slide or fall towards the village.

Luckily, authorities assured that the area was being constantly monitored, and that "a major event that could endanger the village again will become apparent weeks or months in advance." Authorities concluded that they reserve the right to evacuate the village again should another crisis arise, and that in the event that residents need to leave immediately, the local air raid siren will sound to alert locals.