Rare earthquake swarm north of Sion, Switzerland

Rare earthquake swarm north of Sion, Switzerland

An exceptionally active earthquake swarm is ongoing near Saviese, north of Sion, Switzerland beginning in the night of November 4 to November 5, 2019, according to the Swiss Seismological Service (SED) at ETH Zurich. Such an accumulation of earthquakes is rather…

Two missing after violent storm, large mudslide hit Swiss Alps

Two missing after violent storm, large mudslide hit Swiss Alps

Two people, a 37-year-old man and a 6-year-old girl, are missing after a fast-moving mudslide hit Switzerland's Valais canton on Sunday night, August 11, 2019. The event took place late Sunday after a violent hit the region, causing the Losentze river to…

Key highway closed after severe storm hits Switzerland

Key highway closed after severe storm hits Switzerland

Heavy rain affecting Switzerland since June 9, 2019, caused a temporary shutdown of a key highway in the central region of Gotthard. A landslide has also affected the railway connections. The regions of Bern and Zurich have been particularly affected, receiving…

Record May snowfall in Switzerland

Record May snowfall in Switzerland

Historic Arctic blast affecting much of Europe over the past couple of days brought record amounts of snowfall for the month of May to parts of Switzerland. Capital Bern received 4 cm (1.57 inches) of snow on May 5, breaking the previous record for the month set…

Swiss winter of 2017-2018 broke records

Swiss winter of 2017-2018 broke records

Swiss winter of 2017-18 brought an exceptional amount of snow – but only in the mountains. Following three years with little snow, record snowfall, avalanches, and severe storms were all part of the picture from December 2017 to the end of April 2018. In the…

Unexpected snowstorm kills 6 hikers, seriously injures 5, Swiss Alps

Unexpected snowstorm kills 6 hikers, seriously injures 5, Swiss Alps

An unexpected snowstorm hit Swiss Alps on Sunday, April 29, 2018, trapping at least 14 people in the Pigne d'Arolla area and forcing them to spend the night outdoors in the high winds and snow. The police in Valais, southwestern Switzerland said it launched a…

Avalanche kills three in Valais, Swiss Alps

Avalanche kills three in Valais, Swiss Alps

Three people have been killed and two others injured after an avalanche hit Valais area in southwestern Switzerland on March 31, 2018. The skiers were part of a tour group and they were near the area of Fiescheralp, and at an altitude of nearly 2 500m (8 000 feet),…

Eight missing after major landslide at Piz Cengalo, Switzerland

Eight missing after major landslide at Piz Cengalo, Switzerland

Eight people are missing after a major landslide occurred at Piz Cengalo mountain in the Bregaglia range of Swiss Alps at 09:30 CET on Wednesday, August 23, 2017. Experts estimate some 4 million m3 (141.2 million ft3) of rocks tumbled down the mountain, known for…

Another major landslide at Piz Cengalo after 6 injured on Sunday, Switzerland

Another major landslide at Piz Cengalo after 6 injured on Sunday, Switzerland

Another major landslide took place in southern Switzerland on August 23, 2017, just three days after six hikers got hit by falling rocks in a similar incident. According to a statement issued by Bern police on Monday, August 21, six people were injured after a rock…