Topics of the week 22
From the first major warm period of the year and the timeless power of reading aloud to a spectacular chimney demolition in the Lower Valais and the lessons learned one year after the Blatten landslide. We present the images and backgrounds that shaped the week.
First major warm period of the year under observation
In the spotlight
Switzerland experienced its first heat surge of the year over the Pentecost weekend, with temperatures rising above 30 degrees Celsius. However, according to MeteoSwiss, this did not constitute an official heatwave: this would require the daily average temperature to reach 25 degrees Celsius or higher for at least three consecutive days. Locarno-Monti is one of the four main locations of MeteoSwiss. Weather data is analyzed and forecasts are prepared here. Photographer Samuel Golay visited the site and documented the daily work routine in images.
More of the best images from Switzerland
The timeless power of reading aloud
Flashback
Reading aloud makes stories audible. Unlike silent reading, the text is given a personal interpretation through voice, rhythm, and emphasis. When the written word is made audible in a room by a human voice, a special sense of presence and closeness is created. Especially at a time when media is often consumed individually and fleetingly - while formats like podcasts simultaneously rise to new forms of listening - reading aloud remains a timeless and intense experience. It connects the past, present, and future.
Further historical topics
50
By the numbers
Last week, the two remaining chimneys of the former Tamoil refinery in Collombey-Muraz in the Lower Valais were demolished using 50 kilograms of explosives. Several hundred onlookers watched as the structures, which were nearly 100 meters high and weighed a total of around 4,000 tons, collapsed one after the other within a few seconds.
The refinery had already been shut down in 2015. For safety reasons, the surrounding roads were closed for nearly an hour.
More numbers
One year after the landslide, prevention is the focus
Insights
The landslide in Blatten on May 28, 2025, demonstrated how vital prevention, monitoring, and cooperation are in the face of natural hazards. Because the area was evacuated in time and scientists, authorities, and the public acted in coordination, an even greater tragedy was prevented.
One year after the disaster, the assessment by the Valais authorities is mixed: the evacuation and crisis management worked, but the human and material consequences remain severe. At the same time, protection against natural hazards is to be further strengthened, as risks in mountainous regions can intensify.
The events in Blatten also became a symbol of solidarity. During the crisis, the affected Loetschental received broad support from Valais and all of Switzerland.