Parts of the Southern Alps in Switzerland, France, and Italy were battered by severe storms on Saturday and Sunday night, June 29-30, with the Swiss cantons of Ticino and Valais/Wallis and the Italian Valle d’Aosta bearing the brunt of the destruction. Images and videos from local news channels, as well as tourists stuck in the regions, show devastating destruction caused by floods and landslides across several mountain towns. The storms have cost the lives of at least four people, with four people dying in Switzerland and three in France.
Particularly hard hit was the picturesque village of Saas-Grund in Switzerland, where images reveal widespread devastation. An estimated 100,000 cubic meters (3.5 million cubic feet) of debris is littering the streets of the alpine village below the famous Saas-Fee ski area following widespread flooding. Tragically, a 67-year-old German man was discovered lifeless in a hotel early Monday morning, July 1. According to a press release by the Cantonal Police of Valais/Wallis, the man had been reported missing by his partner the previous night. It is assumed he was surprised by the floods overnight, adding a somber note to the already grim situation. Another 52-year-old man has been reported missing in the area. The Swiss citizen was working for the power station and had been sent to assess the situation at the Binn power station.
The Ticino Cantonal Police announced that emergency services found three bodies in a landslide in Val Bavona, a side valley of the Maggia Valley. A fourth person remains missing, and the death toll is expected to rise further. The Maggia Valley was left without electricity or mobile reception for 48 hours before services were restored on Monday evening, July 1, around 6 p.m. local time.
Thousands of tourists from neighboring countries have been left stuck in the remote mountain village, unable to leave as alpine roads are closed or their cars are buried. The powerful storms have left communities grappling with the aftermath as authorities work to assess the full extent of the damage and provide assistance to those affected. It is estimated that it will take weeks, if not months, to clear the valley of debris.
Across in Italy’s Aosta Valley, the city of Cogne as well as Cervinia have been hardest hit, with devastating images showing landslides and damage to roads from floods. Cervinia is part of the Matterhorn Ski Paradise ski area together with Zermatt across the border in Switzerland.
Several regions, including Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Adige, Emilia Romagna, and Milan, have been put on yellow alert while the president of the Piedmont region has signed a request to declare a state of emergency for the region. While Italy has not suffered any fatalities, local news has reported several injured people and extensive property damage.
Meanwhile in France, three people were killed during storms in the Aube region in the northeast of the country. The group was traveling in a car when the vehicle was crushed by a falling tree.
The situation remains tense until further notice and local police authorities have advised the population to please adhere to the following:
- Undertake only necessary travel.
- Stay away from watercourses.
- Do not park on bridges.
- Do not take trips on affected waterways.
- Refrain from filming or photographing flood events.
- Strictly adhere to the orders of the authorities.
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