Heavy rainfall and avalanche warnings grip southern Switzerland

Over 100 millimetres of rain has fallen in the higher regions of Ticino and on the Simplon Pass since Friday night. The weather service Meteonews predicted that the same amount of rain could fall again in the south of Switzerland by Easter Monday. KEYSTONE

Since Friday night, over 100 millimetres of rainfall have inundated the higher terrains of Ticino and the Simplon Pass, with forecasts suggesting a continuation of downpours in the region until Easter Monday, according to weather service MeteoNews.

The Robiei Ticino measuring station, situated nearly 1,900 metres above sea level, registered the highest precipitation, tallying 115 millimetres from midnight on March 29, to 7am on Easter morning, MeteoNews reported on Sunday.

In the Bosco and Gurin municipalities of canton Ticino, precipitation levels soared to 113 millimetres, while Simplon-Dorf Valais saw 103 millimetres. Airolo Ticino experienced 82 millimetres, followed by 62 millimetres in Locarno-Monti.

The onset of snowfall at higher elevations prompted federal authorities to issue avalanche warnings on Easter Sunday for Alpine valleys in Ticino, Valais, and parts of Graubünden. Numerous other valleys also face a considerable risk of avalanches.

Despite the deluge, Switzerland remains relatively spared from flooding risks, as indicated by the federal government’s natural hazards portal.

Transport disruptions amidst severe weather

Easter Sunday witnessed disruptions across various transportation routes due to adverse weather conditions. Rail services in the Jungfrau region were halted due to strong winds, while the Matterhorn Gotthard Railway announced the closure of the Andermatt Uri to Tschamut-Selva Graubünden line for the day. In the Saas Valley Valais, the main road between Stalden and Saas-Grund remained shuttered on Sunday morning due to avalanche hazards. Authorities aimed to provide updates on the duration of the closure by midday.

Adapted from German by DeepL/amva

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