The cantonal road into the Saas Valley is closed due to a mudslide. There is also a severe weather warning for the Rhone.
The storm was no surprise. Heavy rain was forecast for Valais yesterday. Those responsible in the Saas Valley have therefore made appropriate preparations.
The Bodenbrücke near Eisten in the Saas Valley was severely damaged by the mudslide.
ZVG
“We already set up excavators on the side streams yesterday evening,” says Bruno Ruppen, mayor of Saas-Grund. “This morning, from half past six, it started raining harder, but as of now, we have the water under control.”
No one was injured
Despite the preparations, a landslide occurred: on the access road from Stalden to Saas-Grund, a mudslide tore away a bridge near Eisten. The cantonal road is therefore temporarily closed. “It will be open to traffic again tomorrow at the earliest,” says Ruppen.
No one was injured. And in Saas-Grund, no water got into the houses. Only in Saas-Allmagell was a parking lot flooded.
Increased vigilance for the Rhone
Heavy rain is forecast for this afternoon. The cantonal management body (KFO) has therefore decided to maintain increased vigilance for the tributaries in the Upper Val d’Hérens, Anniviers, Mattertal, Saas Valley, Simplon, Binntal, Goms and Aletsch regions. A warning was also issued to the management staff for the Rhone from Gletsch to Martigny. The Rhone’s discharge is currently slightly above normal and is likely to continue to rise.
The Saas Valley region was already hit by severe storms at the end of June and beginning of July. Floods and mudslides caused major damage to buildings and infrastructure.
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