Switzerland and northern Italy have been besieged by storms triggering widespread flooding and landslides, culminating in the tragic loss of at least four lives, local authorities reported on Sunday. The southern side of the Alps, Ticinostate region, has been particularly affected with three bodies located following a landslide in the area of Fontana, within the Maggia Valley.
On Saturday, southern and western Switzerland were subject to heavy rainfall and storms. Precautionary evacuation of camping sites on the banks of the Maggia River took place, whilst the partial collapse of a small bridge in Visletto left one individual unaccounted for. Additionally, the Lavizzara Valley reported an individual missing.
Further complications arose in the north, with the Rhone River bursting its banks in sections of the Valais canton leading to highway and railway inundations. The valleys to the south of the Rhone experienced substantial rainfall with a male body discovered at a Saas-Grund hotel, having been reported missing by his partner. It is presumed that he was unexpectedly caught in the flood. An additional missing person was reported in the Binn area, close to the Italian border within the upper Rhone Valley.
Northern Italy has also been subjected to landslides, thunderstorms and flooding. Firefighters reported carrying out approximately 80 rescue missions, and dozens were evacuated in the northern region of Piedmont. In the stretch between Montanaro and San Benigno Canavese, a trio comprising two adults and a three-month-old infant were rescued from their inundated car by the Orco stream.
Various villages found themselves cut-off due to flooding and landslides in the Valle d’Aosta region. Certains routes, such as the Gotthard Pass, remain unavailable due to closures and railway services have likewise been affected. Continuous rainfall has further complicated rescue efforts and has necessitated the deployment of the Swiss Army, according to Ticino cantonal police, speaking to SRF on Sunday. Both Lake Constance and the Rhone River remain under flood alert, according to the Swiss Federal Office of Meteorology.
Expressing concern for the residents, President Viola Amherd urged vigilance and encouraged adherence to official guidelines. This recent severe weather pattern occurs on the heels of damaging rainfalls in Switzerland’s Misox Valley and extensive flooding in southern Germany a few weeks prior.