Several missing persons

Floods and landslides in Switzerland

Landslide in Switzerland (archive photo)

(Bild: APA/KEYSTONE/GIAN EHRENZELLER)

Four people are missing after heavy storms in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the south-east of the country. Since Friday, there have been numerous thunderstorms and heavy rainfall, flooding and a landslide. 230 people had to be evacuated. 

The Misox valley south of the San Bernardino Pass on the Italian border was particularly affected. Several dozen people were evacuated from their homes as a precaution. Roads were flooded.

The police warned against entering cellars or underground garages and called on the population to stay away from the flooding waters. A section of highway on the border with Italy had to be closed due to a landslide.

Here you can see footage from Zermatt.

Situation remains tense
The situation was also tense in Zermatt in the canton of Valais. In the tourist resort on the Matterhorn, two small rivers burst their banks on Friday. The train line between Visp and Zermatt remained closed for the time being due to the risk of flooding, as the Matterhorn-Gotthard Railway announced on Saturday morning.

The road into the village was also closed. Mayor Romy Biner-Hauser assured Swiss radio that all vacation guests were safe. Anyone who was unable to arrive or depart would be given accommodation.

Switzerland was already affected by flooding at the beginning of June, but in other regions. Among other things, Lake Constance in the north of the country burst its banks and footbridges were put in place for local residents. According to the state natural hazard portal, warning level 4 of 5 was again in force there this weekend: high flood risk.

The same level applied in the canton of Valais from the confluence of the Lonza river with the Rhone to the confluence of the Rhone with Lake Geneva.