It has been raining heavily in Valais since Wednesday evening. Despite preparations by the authorities, landslides and floods have occurred.
The Saas Valley is cut off by a landslide.
Screenshot / SRF
obe. Mud, rubble, water: The Valais is once again battling the consequences of a storm. Heavy rainfall has caused a landslide in the Saas Valley. Mud and rubble tore away the bridge at Eisten. The road between Stalden and Saas-Balen is now closed in both directions until further notice. The Saas Valley is cut off.
Further up the valley, between Saas-Grund and Saas-Almagell, the road is also closed after a landslide. The valley’s main river, the Vispe, burst its banks near Saas-Grund. According to initial findings, however, no one was injured. Houses were also spared.
The authorities in the canton of Valais had already taken safety measures on Thursday morning to prevent possible damage. The Saas Valley was already battling the consequences of severe storms at the end of June. At that time, mud and debris devastated dozens of houses in Saas-Grund. One man was killed.
On Thursday, the authorities in Valais also warned of the possible consequences of the storm in other parts of the canton. In the regions of Upper Val d’Hérens, Anniviers, Mattertal, Simplon, Binntal, Goms and Aletsch, bank collapses, flooding or mudslides in the tributaries are possible. The level of the Rhone is also expected to continue to rise until Thursday evening, it was said.
