

Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
To borrow the title of a well-known 1983 American disaster film, this Friday marks "The Day After". With no newspapers yesterday due to the Ascension public holiday, today's Swiss press offering is dominated by extensive coverage of the mountain collapse that struck the village of Blatten on Wednesday afternoon.
Elsewhere in today’s Swiss news selection, you’ll learn that the uprooting of vineyards isn’t unique to Bordeaux – and that, when it comes to retirement, planning ahead is always wise.
Enjoy your reading

The avalanche of debris that buried the Valais village of Blatten continues to dominate both Swiss and international media. Two days on, this unprecedented natural disaster remains the top story.
The danger in the Lötschental valley was far from over on Friday. The enormous mass of ice, mud and debris that buried much of the village also blocked the Lonza river. An artificial lake has since formed, posing a flood risk to the valley below and the Rhône plain.
Authorities have called on residents of two neighbouring villages to prepare for evacuation. However, this may not be necessary, as the river has begun to carve a path through the debris. “From a purely technical point of view, things are going fairly well,” said Raphaël Mayoraz, head of the Valais Natural Hazards Service, while warning that the area remains “extremely dangerous”.
The material damage is immense, but thanks to the precautionary evacuation of Blatten’s residents, the human toll is low. “This shows the importance of early warnings and interventions,” said Clare Nullis, spokesperson for the World Meteorological Organisation. Nonetheless, one life was lost: a 64-year-old farmer who had returned to care for his sheep.

Although it’s too early for a final damage estimate, the Swiss Insurance Association expects the Blatten rockfall to cost hundreds of millions of francs. Fortunately, the Swiss system spreads the burden through a double layer of solidarity: among insurers, and among policyholders who pay the same premium regardless of the risk zone.
Financial support is already starting to arrive. Caritas Switzerland and the Swiss Red Cross have pledged CHF400,000 ($485,560). The Parrainage des communes de montagne is contributing CHF1 million.
Swiss Solidarity has activated its permanent disaster relief fund. So far, it has not launched a national appeal. “At this stage, our permanent fund should allow us to cover needs that aren’t met by insurance, the Swiss Fund or public authorities,” says the foundation.

The world has seen the images: vineyards in Bordeaux being uprooted to make way for more profitable crops such as kiwis or olives. Similar scenes may soon become reality in Switzerland, particularly in the cantons of Valais and Vaud, the country’s two main wine-producing regions.
Faced with falling consumption and declining prices, Swiss winegrowers are beginning to consider uprooting unprofitable vines. “We shouldn’t be afraid to talk about grubbing up. We need to present the situation as it really is,” says Samuel Luisier, co-president of the Valais Winegrowers’ Federation, in Le Temps.
So far, few vines have been pulled up. But given the financial pressure, the industry is actively exploring its options. There are no fixed targets yet, but stakeholders want to establish a strategy to avoid haphazard vineyard management.
Any uprooting would likely focus on unprofitable or hard-to-access plots. Up to 15% of Valais’ vineyards, Switzerland’s largest, at 690 hectares, could be affected.

The Swiss are often seen as prudent and financially prepared. However, a recent survey challenges this perception: nearly a quarter of respondents said they don’t feel financially secure.
While 77% of people feel protected financially, the median savings reported was CHF19,600 ($23,792), roughly equivalent to four months’ salary. Yet this figure hides major disparities: while some feel secure with less than CHF10,000, others need six-figure sums to feel at ease.
Notably, 23% of respondents, especially younger people and women, said they feel financially insecure. The most commonly cited concerns were illness and accidents (46%), followed by the constant rise in health insurance premiums (42%).
Nearly half of retired respondents regret decisions made about pension planning. About 30% said they contributed too little or too late to the ‘third pillar’ – a voluntary pension scheme designed to supplement the mandatory one. The most common reason for not saving more? A lack of available funds (68%).
Translated from French using DeepL/amva

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