Three dead in Ticino are vacationers from Germany
After the devastating landslide in the Swiss canton of Tessin, rescuers found three bodies in meter-high debris piles. It is now confirmed: The deceased are women from Baden-Württemberg. At least five more people are still missing.
In Tessin, three German tourists, all women, were killed by a landslide over the weekend. Two of the women were 73 and 76 years old and came from Baden-Württemberg, according to the police report. The bodies were recovered from Fontana in the Maggiatal valley on Sunday night but not yet identified.
The incident followed a violent storm with heavy rain. To protect the privacy of the deceased and their families, the police did not disclose where exactly in Baden-Württemberg the women lived.
A police spokesperson stated that he assumes at least two of the three women were traveling together. It is difficult to determine which house each woman lived in, as no stone was left upon another in the affected area. Meter-high debris piles had formed. Debris piled up on the roads and streets. Cars were destroyed.
A teenager told the "Blick" newspaper that he and his father found two of the bodies on Sunday morning. The 16-year-old, who lives further down in the valley with his family, went up to Fontana early in the morning to check on their house after hearing about the landslide. They saw a destroyed Rustico, the traditional small houses often rented out as vacation homes, in the debris. In the debris, they found two people who were no longer alive. They could not call the police because there was no cell phone reception in the valley. They went to the police station and reported their findings. "I will never forget the images. It occupies me and makes me sad," the teenager said. The third body was found later.
Four more people were reported missing in the upper Maggiatal valley on Monday evening. According to police reports, missing person reports were filed for two men and two women. The police made no statements about their identities. Therefore, at least five people are still missing in the Maggiatal valley. They could have been carried away by the rushing waters of the swollen Maggia or debris.
Further down in the valley, the Maggia River had destroyed a 57-meter-long bridge at Visletto. As a result, areas further upstream could no longer be reached by car. Telephone connections have since been restored.
- Switzerland, facing the challenges of climate change, has experienced an increase in natural disasters, such as the recent landslide in Tessin.
- Due to the escalating issue of climate change, several European countries, including Baden-Württemberg and Switzerland, have collaborated internationally to develop strategies for disaster risk reduction and climate resilience.
- While on vacation in Switzerland, tourists from various countries, including Baden-Württemberg, must be aware of the potential risks of natural disasters like this one and ensure they have the necessary emergency contacts, including the local fire department.
