Switzerland experiences third severe weather weekend in a row
Last weekend in Switzerland, six people died in landslides. The rain shows no mercy: In Tessin, a crucial Autobahn on the Gotthard route towards the North had to be closed due to new weather conditions, as reported on platform X by the police. A slope was in danger of collapsing there. The A2 is an important North-South connection that runs from the German border at Basel through Lucerne and the Gotthard tunnel, as well as Lugano to Chiasso at the Italian border. Traffic is being diverted.
The access road to the Valle di Muggio valley is also blocked. According to the fire department, there had already been a landslide there. Reports of missing or injured people are not available yet. In this valley near the Italian border, there are nine small villages.
For Tessin and Graubünden, a danger level of three out of five still applies until this evening. Authorities urge people to stay away from bodies of water and steep slopes and not to go into basements that could quickly flood during heavy rain.
Six deaths at the last weekend
One week ago, six people had died in landslides and flash floods caused by dammed mountain rivers in the Maggiatal region of Tessin. Among the dead were three women from Baden-Württemberg. Two weeks ago, in Graubünden's Misox valley, four people were swept away by water masses. Only one could be rescued alive.
In the South Tessin region at the Italian border, 110 liters of rain per square meter fell in 24 hours, with 48 liters of that falling within two hours, according to MeteoSwiss's weather service. The rain is expected to ease today evening. Graubünden also experienced heavy rainfall.
Rescue teams in the Maggiatal region evacuated nine people by helicopter before the new rainstorm, while others went to stay with relatives and friends. Two weeks ago, another crucial Autobahn, the A13 on the San Bernardino route, was submerged and partially destroyed by heavy rain. The Federal Roads Agency repaired one lane quickly and reopened it for traffic on Friday.
In light of the ongoing storm, the International Red Cross has mobilized its resources to assist affected communities in Switzerland. The heavy rain in the Storm-hit region of Tessin has also caused flooding in nearby Switzerland's International Geneva, threatening several buildings.
