Swiss landslide leaves two dead, one missing

Police report bodies of two people found by rescuers in connection with the landslide in Fontana region


AFP June 30, 2024
Swiss landslide leads to casualties in Fontana region PHOTO: Aljazeera

Two people have died and a third is missing after torrential rains triggered a landslide in southeastern Switzerland, police said on Sunday.

"The bodies of two people were found by rescuers in connection with the landslide in the Fontana region," police in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino said in a statement.

Earlier, police mentioned that challenging weather conditions were complicating rescue efforts, with some valleys inaccessible and disconnected from the power grid.

According to the federal alert system, a section of the canton was also facing a shortage of drinking water.

In Valais, located in western Switzerland, civil security services reported evacuating "several hundred" individuals and closing roads due to the Rhone River flooding in multiple areas.

Last weekend, heavy rainfall in southeastern Switzerland resulted in one fatality and extensive property damage.

COMMENTS

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ