Swiss glacier lake drains without causing flooding damage

Lenk Glacier Lake drained without complications Keystone-SDA

The Faverges glacial lake on the Plaine Morte above Lenk in the Bernese Oberland drained over the weekend. There was no flooding or damage, the authorities announced on Monday.

There is no longer any immediate danger from the glacial lake. However, caution is always advised on bodies of water that flood during the day due to melting snow.

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The lake formed on the south-eastern edge of the Plaine Morte glacier on the border between the cantons of Bern and Valais due to the retreat of the ice. In early summer, meltwater collects in an elongated depression between the rock and ice.

As soon as the lake reaches a critical threshold, it used to empty spontaneously. In 2018, this led to damage in the valley below. The following year, an artificial drainage channel was dug into the glacier ice. Since then, the lake can normally empty slowly and in a controlled manner into this overflow.

The emptying always takes place between mid-June and the end of August. Natural hazard experts have set up a monitoring system around the lake.

Adapted from German by DeepL/ac

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