Landslide buries several people underneath it
Since Saturday afternoon, wide areas of Switzerland have reported strong thunderstorms and heavy rainfall. In the Canton of Tessin, the earth gave way in the night, and several people are reported missing. Blocked roads and landpaths complicate rescue and search efforts.
In the Canton of Tessin, several people are missing after a landslide. According to a statement from the cantonal police, the ground gave way in the Fontana area in the northwest of Tessin, and "persons were reported missing." The rescue operation in the Maggiatal is difficult due to the poor weather conditions. Several seventy-meter long landways are not reachable.
Since Saturday afternoon, wide areas of Switzerland have reported strong thunderstorms and heavy rainfall. According to Meteonews weather service, around 200 liters of rain per square meter fell in the upper Maggiatal over the weekend. The inhabitants of Prato-Sornico and the Maggiatal in Tessin were urged to leave their houses near the Maggia river early on Sunday morning. Camping sites along the river were also evacuated, according to the cantonal police. The roads were blocked due to flooding, and a bridge was carried away by the water masses.
A few valleys near the Maggiatal are no longer accessible, and they are also cut off from the power supply. According to the Swiss Disaster Alert Service Alertswiss, parts of Tessin are also without drinking water.
Second weekend of bad weather
In the Canton of Valais in southwestern Switzerland, the Rhone and its tributaries overflowed due to heavy rainfall and snowmelt. According to local authorities, several hundred people had to leave their houses. Those affected were mainly the inhabitants between Raron and Gampel and in Chippis and Sierre. The Rhone tributary Vispa overflowed again in the well-known ski resort of Zermatt in Valais.
Due to the rainfall, numerous roads were closed in Valais, according to the authorities, including the Simplonpass, an important route for international traffic. Train traffic was also disrupted. Already during the previous weekend, unusually heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in the southeastern part of the country caused significant damage. At least one person lost their life.
The hardships in Valais continue, as the Rhone and its tributaries overflow due to heavy rainfall and snowmelt. Many residents in Raron, Gampel, Chippis, and Sierre were forced to evacuate their homes.
Despite the warnings and rescue efforts in the Maggiatal of Tessin, several seven-meter long landways remain inaccessible due to the storm, compounding the misfortunes caused by the landslide.
