- The severe weather situation in Valais is getting worse. The canton has declared a “special situation” for the whole of Valais.
- A total of 230 people have currently been evacuated in Valais and 200 firefighters from 25 different corps are on duty.
- There is a water alert in Zermatt. Because the Triftbach has overflowed its banks, the population must stay at home.
The situation in the Matter Valley is particularly precarious. The tourism hotspot has been cut off from the outside world since midday due to a landslide. This was reported by the Matterhorn-Gotthard Railway on X. The reason is the risk of flooding. Replacement buses are running between Visp and Täsch. There is currently no way to travel to Zermatt.
The situation changes from minute to minute
“The situation is changing from minute to minute,” said Zermatt mayor Romy Biner-Hauser to SRF. The situation had calmed down somewhat in the afternoon. “Several streams have now overflowed their banks.”
Behavioral recommendations of the canton
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- Restrict travel
- Stay away from watercourses
- Do not park on bridges
- Do not drive on the Rhone or at the mouth of Lake Geneva
- Refrain from filming or photographing severe weather events
- Strictly follow the instructions of the authorities
Several traffic routes, mainly in the side valleys, have been affected by the storm. Among others, the road between Stalden and Zermatt, the road between Vissoie and Mayoux and the cantonal road on the left bank of the Rhone between Riddes and the Bieudron power station are closed. The road conditions can be viewed live on the cantonal police website.
In addition, rail traffic is restricted on the route between Lausanne and Brig. The SBB has closed the section between Riddes and Ardon in the canton of Valais. The interruption will last until at least Saturday morning, the SBB announced. When exactly rail traffic can be resumed depends on the risk of flooding. Rail replacement buses are in use.
Damage not yet quantifiable
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The floods and landslides are causing major damage to infrastructure, particularly in the Valais side valleys, said Raphaël Mayoraz, head of the Valais Department for Natural Hazards. The damage cannot yet be quantified. According to the authorities, no one was injured by the storms.
The risk of flooding is currently greatly increased, but not as critical as during the last major floods in October 2000, explained Mayoraz. At that time, the dams partially broke and the Rhone flooded the valley plain in Lower Valais.
Population is safe
The water alarm has been in effect in the municipality since early evening: By order of the authorities, the population must immediately go indoors. The streets must remain clear. According to the “Walliser Boten”, residents who live on the ground floor near the stream are asked to go to higher floors immediately.
However, the mayor stressed: “The population is safe.” The situation is also tense in Täsch, the neighboring municipality of Zermatt. The municipality has “evacuated” a campsite as a precaution, as the “Walliser Bote” reports. As in Zermatt, schools in Täsch also remained closed on Friday.
Highest alert level in the canton of Valais
In view of the situation for the Rhone and its tributaries, the canton has decided to raise the alert level for the entire canton from a warning level to the current level. “This means in particular that the monitoring system must be strengthened and that we must actively prepare to take measures,” the canton further announced. The situation is particularly critical in the southern side valleys of Valais.
A total of around 230 people were evacuated in Valais. Around 30 of them in Chippis near Sierre, where they had to spend the night in the local gym. The evacuations are a precautionary measure to prevent anything worse from happening, said Raphael Mayoraz, head of the cantonal office for natural hazards.
Due to the risk of flooding, the population is not allowed to walk along the banks of the Rhone and its tributaries in Valais and the Chablais region of Vaud this weekend. The ban is in effect until Monday evening.
Canton of Graubünden warns of flooding in Misox
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The canton of Graubünden is warning of flooding in the Misox via the federal government’s Alertswiss warning service.
Flooding has already occurred in this area, it continues. Cellars and underground garages should be avoided, writes the canton of Graubünden. People should not get too close to the water.
In the village of Lostallo, there was also a mudslide. According to pictures on blick.ch, houses and streets were affected.
In the evening, the TCS reported on its website that the A13 motorway was closed in both directions between Roveredo GR and Lumino TI in the lowest part of the Misox. This was due to a landslide.
Meanwhile, the federal government increased the danger level for the Rhone from Visp to Lake Geneva to the second highest level 4. The canton of Valais recommends not approaching the waterways, not parking on bridges, restricting freedom of movement and refraining from filming or photographing the storm events.
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