Severe mudflows ravage southeastern Switzerland, leaving 1 dead and 2 missing

Severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall caused devastating floods and landslides in southeastern Switzerland on June 22, 2024, heavily impacting the canton of Grisons, particularly the Mesolcina Valley. The event left 1 person dead, 2 missing, and extensive damage to infrastructure.

Heavy rains caused, several rivers to burst their banks in the Mesolcina Valley on Saturday, June 22, covering roads, fields, and villages with heavy debris.

In the village of Sorte, three houses and three cars were swept away by floodwaters, while two police officers narrowly escaped when their vehicle was submerged up to its roof.

The body of one man was discovered 8 km (5 miles) from where he disappeared after three people went missing on June 22, when floodwaters swept through the town of Misox in the alpine valley of Graubünden – also known as Grisons. Initially, four people were reported missing on June 22 but a woman was later found alive under the rubble and taken to hospital in nearby Lugano.

“The probability of finding them alive is low,” said Police spokesman William Kloter, referring to the two individuals who remain missing.

A team of 200 rescuers has been deployed, utilizing excavators, specially trained search dogs, drones, and army helicopters. However, the ongoing adverse weather conditions have hampered efforts, with search operations having to be halted during the night due to heavy rain.

Swiss authorities reported that a segment of the Swiss motorway A13, a major transit route between the San Bernardino Pass and Roveredo in Graubünden, has been completely submerged and destroyed. Even though the repairs have begun, this crucial road is expected to remain closed for several months.

According to MeteoSchweiz, the government’s office for weather and climate, 124 mm (4.88 inches) of rain fell in the Mesolcina Valley on June 21, with 63 mm (2.48 inches) falling within just one hour. “It was not the level of rain, but the concentration of rain in such a short period of time which caused the problems,” a spokesman for MeteoSchweiz stated, adding that this concentration of rain happens only once every 30 years.

In the western canton of Valais, 230 people were evacuated since June 21, due to flooding and mudslides. The town of Zermatt, located near the Matterhorn mountain, has been cut off, with both road and rail access closed.

Here’s a video of the situation before rail routes were cut off:

And here’s a video of after rail and roads were cut off:

As of June 24, 2024, the Federal Natural Hazards Bulletin reported ongoing flood dangers in various parts of Switzerland. Lake Constance remains at danger level 4 (great danger), while the outflow of Lake Constance in Neuhausen has exceeded the threshold for danger level 3 (significant danger). Lake Geneva and Lake Lucerne, as well as portions of the Aare and Reuss rivers, are at danger level 2 (moderate danger).

The weather forecast indicates more rainfall and thunderstorms in the coming days, which could worsen the already critical situation.

References:

Rishav Kothari

I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.

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