Saving lives in the shadow of melting giants 

Pierre-Yves Pitteloud, regional disaster risk reduction adviser for the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in India, tells Swissinfo about Switzerland’s expertise in disaster prevention and why international cooperation matters. In late May, a dramatic glacier collapse in the Swiss Alpine village of Blatten grabbed international headlines – but the story behind the scenes was just as powerful: thanks to Switzerland’s monitoring system for natural disasters, the village was evacuated in time, and lives were saved. “We were able to predict the movement of the glacier and the impending disaster with remarkable accuracy,” Pierre-Yves Pitteloud said. “But this wasn’t just Swiss ingenuity – it was the result of international collaboration.” Switzerland collaborates with, among others, teams of European, American and Indian scientists to monitor its glaciers. Expertise and data are shared to best predict natural disasters and save lives. Pitteloud serves as the SDC’s ...