Storm in Switzerland – landslides in Ticino – parts of the banks of the Rhine are blocked

For the first time in 14 years, weather services issued the highest severe weather advisory on Saturday. In many places in Ticino there were flooded roads and landslides. In the canton of St. Gallen, parts of the banks of the Rhine were blocked.

Rain Alert Level 5 was applied in northern Ticino and in the adjacent areas of Graubünden and in the canton of Uri. The images of the readers on the online portals gave an impression of the torrential rain in Ticino. You could see high rivers and streams, underwater streets and cars in the water, as well as streets that were no longer passable due to downed trees and landslides.

TCS traffic information reported several roads blocked on Saturday afternoon, such as the road to the Verzasca Valley, which reopened at night with alternate traffic, and other roads in the vicinity of Locarno. The reasons were floods or landslides. A landslide caused the closure of the main road between Biasca and Disentis / Müstair in the late afternoon.

Due to the large amount of rain in the canton of St. Gallen, the trails and cycle paths along the Rhine from Diepoldsauer Rheinbrücke to Lake Constance will be closed for safety reasons until further notice, as announced by the international regulation of the Rhine. Sunday night. The population is asked not to be near the Rhine in order not to hinder a possible deployment of the Rhine company and the fire brigades.

Train runs on landslide

There were also disruptions to rail traffic in Ticino. A train collided with a landslide shortly after noon between Gambarogno and San Nazzaro. According to SBB, there were five passengers and a driver on board.

The train had to be towed, as SBB spokesman Martin Meier told the Keystone-SDA news agency. Following the landslide, the route between Cadenazzo and Luino (I) is expected to be interrupted until Monday. Used spare buses are coming.

The Meteonews weather service reported very high amounts of rain as of Saturday night. In Locarno-Magadino, 228 millimeters of rain fell on Saturday night, 193 millimeters in Locarno-Monti, 154 millimeters in Bellinzona and 113 millimeters in Lugano. The Magadino plain was particularly affected on Saturday afternoon. There, 47 millimeters of rain fell in one hour.

In Avegno, in the Maggia Valley, drinking water has been contaminated since Saturday due to heavy rains. Alertswiss urged residents not to drink the water, not to use it for cooking and not to wash with it.

Also a lot of rain in Bergell

A lot of rain also fell partly in Graubünden. In Bergell it was a good 130 millimeters until Saturday afternoon. On Saturday morning a rockslide occurred on the road between Ilanz GR and Trun GR in Surselva. There, however, the amount of rain was significantly less, around 50 millimeters in 24 hours. On Saturday afternoon the Malojapassstrasse had to be closed after landslides.

No later than the second half of Sunday night, according to SRF Meteo, the rain will again fall practically all over Switzerland. In Ticino, up to 130 millimeters of rain is expected in some places until Sunday night.

SDA

Published: 08/29/2020, 12:11 PM