Avalanche damages Swiss mountain cable car

The Säntisbahn cable car normally operates in all weathers, taking visitors to the top of the Säntis mountain. Keystone

A second avalanche at a Swiss mountain resort has forced a cable car to stop operating, most likely for several months until the damage can be repaired. A hotel in the same area was evacuated last week as an avalanche forced its way into the building.

The latest avalanche in eastern Switzerland struck one of the supporting pillars of the SäntisbahnExternal link cable car that takes visitors up the Säntis mountain. The cable car operators said the damage may take some months to repair before it is safe to use again.

The cable car belongs to the same company that runs the recently built Hotel Säntis, which had to be evacuated last week after snow crashed through its doors. Three people were slightly injured during that avalanche.

While the full extent of damage to the cable car is still being assessed, the hotel has now re-opened for business, the Säntisbahn company said. The part of the hotel that took the brunt of the damage, however, is still off limits as repairs are ongoing.

Some 1.5 metres of snow had built up in the region between the two avalanches. The Swiss Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF)External link had raised avalanche warnings to their highest level in recent days, but the risk has since lessened.

On Monday a worker setting up a controlled explosion was killed by an avalanche. Earlier this month, two people died and one person was injured during three separate avalanches on the same day in different parts of the country.