A violent storm swept through the town of La Chaux-de-Fonds in northwestern Switzerland on Monday, killing one person and injuring around 15 people, according to the police.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/ac
Español
es
Una supertormenta similar a un tornado azota una ciudad suiza
The storm “unfortunately caused the death of a person in his fifties following the fall of a construction crane,” Neuchâtel cantonal police said in a press release.
“In addition to this victim, around 15 people were injured and treated by the emergency services, but their prognosis was not life-threatening,” they added.
The storm did not last long, but the strong gusts of up to 217km/h caused considerable damage. Vehicles were damaged, roofs torn off and trees uprooted. The rail network and bus services were also affected. Rescue and clearing operations are continuing.
Unusual circumstances
According to MeteoSwiss, the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, the weather phenomenon that swept through La Chaux-de-Fonds on Monday cannot be described as a tornado. Rather, it was a case of “very violent swirling gusts of wind”, possibly reinforced by the town’s urban layout. Such a phenomenon is very difficult to predict, according to the meteorologists.
Nicolas Borgognon of MeteoSwiss believes that the topography of the La Chaux-de-Fonds region and the town’s “American-style” grid structure may have increased the violence of the phenomenon.
“This may have created a ‘Venturi effect’, meaning that the gusts of wind are channelled and compressed between the buildings, so that their effect is stronger,” he said.
The storm lasted around five minutes, with a peak intensity of one to two minutes, he explained. “We’ll need to do a re-analysis of the phenomenon, particularly using video and aerial photos and drones to understand what caused it and why it was so strong.”
No one seemed to have anticipated the 217km/h gusts recorded at nearby Les Eplatures airport located on the south-west edge of La Chaux-de-Fonds.
External Content
If the measurement is confirmed internally by MeteoSwiss, it would constitute a new Swiss record, since the strongest thunderstorm gust ever recorded on a Swiss plain was measured at 190km/h in Glarus in 1985.
Living longer: What do you think about the longevity trend?
The longevity market is booming thanks in part to advances in the science of ageing. What do you think of the idea of significantly extending human lifespan?
Basel prepares 700 volunteers for the Eurovision Song Contest
This content was published on
Around 320 people took part in one of the two official information events for the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) in Basel on Friday.
More Swiss soldiers involved in accidents during training in Austria
This content was published on
The Swiss army has reported various accidents involving Swiss soldiers during the exercise “TRIAS 25” in Austria. Some have led to hospitalisations.
Swiss court rules vegan meat substitutes can’t use animal names
This content was published on
Vegan meat substitutes may not bear animal names such as “planted.chicken” according to a ruling by the Swiss Federal Supreme Court.
Swiss cantons spared duty to create new traveller transit sites
This content was published on
Swiss cantons will no longer be formally obliged by the government to create new transit sites for the travelling community.
Swiss politicians bemoan limited access to EU treaty details
This content was published on
Protests that only a few Swiss parliamentarians will be able to read the contents of a new agreement negotiated with the EU.
This content was published on
For the first time, most Swiss residents favour withdrawing their pension pot as a lump-sum over regular annuity payments.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.