In Valais, the water level continues to fall and pumping and cleaning operations continue after the weekend floods. The army has deployed 150 soldiers, particularly in the commercial area of Sierre.
“In central Valais, the army is reaching its limit in terms of pumping water,” Lieutenant Colonel Jean-Claude Gagliardi said at a press conference on Tuesday. “There is still the problem of rubble,” added Marie-Claude Noth-Ecoeur, head of the canton’s Civil and Military Security Service and head of the Cantonal Management Body (OCC).
Members of the disaster relief battalion have notably cleared an underpass in the Sierre region. They are also finishing pumping water from the Noës water treatment plant, which is still at a standstill.
>> Read also: Christophe Darbellay: “We urgently need to ensure the long-term security” of Valais industrial zones
A wait that could be prolonged
In the Upper Valais, in Saas Grund, where part of the village was devastated by torrential lava, a reconnaissance detachment is on site. “We need to have eyes on the ground before mobilizing troops,” adds Jean-Claude Gagliardi. Military aid to Valais runs until July 10, with the possibility of extension.
Among the people evacuated from Sierre and Chippis, some were able to return home on Monday evening, but this is not the case for everyone. There are still 80 who have not been able to return to their homes.
Analyses of the sewers, the electrical network and the foundations of certain buildings are still necessary to rehouse or not some of the victims. Their wait could therefore be prolonged.
>> Explanations from 12:45:
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