Four other people are still missing in the southeast Switzerland after severe weather over the weekend left four people dead, authorities said.
According to police in the canton of Ticino – where the Maggia valley was severely affected by torrential rains on Saturday – the four new missing people are two women and two men. Investigations are ongoing, it was clarified in a statement released yesterday.
Three people died in a landslide over the weekend in this southeastern Swiss canton. The fate of one man was unknown.
In the neighboring canton of Valais, to the southwest, one person died in the town of Saas-Grud. The man was a 67-year-old German who became trapped in the water and drowned in the basement of a hotel in the town. According to authorities, the fate of another man in the canton is still unknown.
The Maggia river has destroyed a bridge near Cevio and there is now no access to the upper part of the valley except by plane and the army has been mobilised to quickly restore road access. Yesterday, Monday, the electricity supply was cut off in a part of the valley, as well as the supply of drinking water.
In the canton of Valais, the rains and the overflowing of the Rhône caused very significant material damage.
Sources: APE-MPE, AFP