Three feared dead after huge landslide hits Valais
Three people are missing after a landslide destroyed two chalets near Nendaz in canton Valais. Police said the mudslide was set off by a burst water main.
Police said an “enormous” amount of mud and rock rolled 1,000 metres down into the valley, sweeping away two chalets and a number of farm buildings late on Tuesday.
The landslide – which occurred in the area of Condémine-Fey – swept into the Rhone river, causing it to flood for a time.
Police said the water came from a burst underground pipeline leading to a nearby hydroelectric power plant. The water supply has been cut off.
A search for the missing people was resuming on Wednesday. Several people were evacuated when the landslide occurred.
The incident came two months after a landslide swept through the mountain village of Gondo in canton Valais, killing 13 people. That disaster was set off by days of intense rain.
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