The inhabitants of a Swiss village have been informed that they run the risk of having to evacuate their locality for at least a decade, the time needed to dismantle and clean up a munitions depot dating back to World War II.
The old Mitholz depot, in the canton of Bern, which still contains 3,500 tons of ammunition , has partially collapsed and numerous explosives were buried under the rocks. This site had partially exploded in 1947, causing the death of nine people, but the risk of a new outbreak has been underestimated for decades.
The Ministry of Defense, which launched a consultation among the population this week, estimates that the current risk is unacceptable and that a prolonged evacuation is the best solution.
"The work will have an impact on the affected population and access routes," the ministry said in a statement.
"According to our current knowledge, it could be expected that the evacuation period of the residents even exceeds ten years, depending on the development of the works," the text adds.
Neighboring roads will have to be reinforced or diverted, and a specially protected railroad track.
The consultation of the population, of a few hundred people, ends on April 17.
If the evacuation is too problematic, the authorities may decide to cover the deposit with rocks, which would significantly reduce the risks (in case of explosion).
The Ministry of Defense also indicated on the internet that thousands of tons of unused ammunition were thrown into Swiss lakes to get rid of them, but the risk of them exploding is "virtually nil."
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