Landslide after storm in the Alps – three are missing

Extreme weather
Three missing after landslide in Switzerland

Linnea Blomberg

Published 00.00

Extreme amounts of rain flooded roads and buildings in southern Switzerland on Saturday. Photo: Samuel Golay / AP

Quick version

• In Europe, extreme weather prevails with forest fires and power outages in the south and heavy rain with landslides and floods in the north.
• After a landslide, caused by heavy rain, in south-eastern Switzerland, three people are missing.personer.
• At the same time, Greece and the Balkans are suffering from extreme heat with deaths, forest fires and widespread power outages due to overloading of the power grid.

Heavy rain has caused a landslide in southeastern Switzerland. One woman has been rescued but three people are still missing, according to the country's authorities according to AP.

The accident occurred in the alpine valley Misox in Graubünden and a rescue operation has been ongoing throughout Saturday. The rescue personnel search with excavators and specially trained search dogs.

William Kloter of the Swiss police, who is leading the rescue operation, has told local media that he hopes to find the three missing people alive.

Swiss President Viola Amherd is shocked by the magnitude of the landslide.

"My thoughts go out to those affected. I also want to thank the rescue personnel for their efforts in this difficult situation," writes Amherd on X.

Swiss President Viola Amherd. Photo: Kay Nietfeld/AP

Several dead in floods

The severe weather has also caused problems elsewhere in Switzerland.

Heavy rains and melting snow have caused the river that runs through the popular tourist destination of Zermatt to overflow and isolate the village. Dramatic videos showed the otherwise small river turning into a muddy stream gushing along the streets.

 

People were evacuated from their homes in the area. Photo: Samuel Golay / AP

Devastation after the landslide in Switzerland. Photo: Samuel Golay / AP

Germany has also been plagued by devastating floods at the beginning of the summer. German media have reported several deaths.
 

Forest fires and heat wave

While the rain is ravaging parts of northern Europe, southern parts of the continent are currently suffering from deadly forest fires and widespread power outages.

In Greece, tourists are now being warned about the extreme heat that has swept over the country.

In eleven days, five people have died or disappeared in the Greek island world. Among them the British diet guru Michael Mosley, which Aftonbladet previously reported on.

During Thursday, the temperature was measured at 44.5 degrees in Chania, northwestern Crete.

Areas around Athens were plagued by several large fires this week. Photo: Petros Giannakouris / AP

Balkan residents are asked to stay indoors

The Balkan peninsula is also strongly affected by the heat. During Friday, the Western Balkans suffered widespread blackouts due to overloaded power grids due to the rising demand for electricity in the heat.

Montenegro's largest electricity supplier announced that there were power outages in most of the country.

Similar reports came from the southern coastal strip of Croatia, from Bosnia and Herzegovina's capital Sarajevo and from Albania.

The warm weather also causes it in North Macedonia. There, authorities urge residents to stay indoors and to avoid heavy work during the hottest hours of the day.