Danger of avalanches and falling rocks – traffic routes closed in cantons of southern Switzerland – News

  • Several traffic routes in the south of Switzerland have to be closed or remain closed due to the risk of falling rocks and avalanches.
  • The road to Calanca Valley (GR) will be closed on Sunday evening as a precaution.
  • The road and rail connection of the Matterhorn-Gotthard Railway between Hospental and Realp (UR) is also affected.
  • In Valais, the main road between Visp and the Saas Valley will remain closed until at least Easter Monday morning due to the risk of landslides.
  • A railway disruption between Faido and Airolo is also likely to hinder those returning from Easter early in the morning.

The Matterhorn-Gotthard Railway will stop transporting cars on the Furka between Realp (UR) and Oberwald (VS) on Sunday evening from 8 p.m. The road from Hospental (UR) to Realp (UR) is closed due to the threat of avalanches. The Matterhorn-Gotthard-Bahn (MGB) wants to reassess the situation on Easter Monday morning, as it announced on X.

The national road over the Simplon Pass from Valais to Italy will remain closed on Easter Sunday due to the risk of avalanches.

For safety reasons, the Bernina line of the Rhaetian Railway (RhB) between Pontresina (GR) and Poschiavo (GR) was also closed on Sunday evening. The closure applies from 8:30 p.m. Because the road was also closed, no replacement buses could be used.

Danger of flooding in the south

In Ticino, the level of Lake Langensee (Lake Maggiore) has risen by 20 centimeters. Between Friday and Sunday, over 100 millimeters of rain fell in the higher regions of Ticino and on the Simplon Pass. Heavy rain continues in the south. According to SRF Meteo, the weather models are again calculating rainfall amounts of up to 130 millimeters for the southern side of the Alps. The most precipitation occurs in the Simplon region and in northwestern Ticino. There is a risk of rising streams, debris flows and landslides.

Great danger of avalanches on the main Alpine ridge


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Heavy rain in southern Switzerland increased the risk of avalanches and floods on Sunday. There is a high risk of avalanches in several regions. The WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF increased the avalanche warning level in several regions to the second highest warning level 4 for Easter Monday. It applies to the main Alpine ridge from Arolla (VS) to the Ofen Pass, to the Visper valleys, the Aletsch area, the northern and middle Ticino and the Upper Engadine.

The snow cover has increased by up to 120 centimeters in some regions since Good Friday. More fresh snow is expected until Monday morning.

Road to Calanca Valley closed as a precaution

In the canton of Graubünden, heavy rainfall is leading to a road closure: The road into the Calanca valley will be closed from Sunday evening until Monday afternoon for safety reasons, as the Graubünden authorities announced. The closure to all traffic is due to heavy rainfall combined with heavy snow melt.

Specifically, the road between Bivio Castaneda and the Buseno turnoff will be closed from 9 p.m. to 12 p.m. As a result, individual villages with a total of several hundred residents remain temporarily cut off.

Access to Saas-Fee remains closed

In Valais, the cantonal road between Stalden (VS) and the Saas Valley will remain closed until at least Monday morning due to the risk of landslides. The community wants to inform about the closure again on Monday morning at 9 a.m., said Saas Valley Tourism with.

Legend:

The inner Saas Valley from Stalden (VS) and the road connection from Saas-Grund (picture from November 2018) to Saas-Almagell is currently closed.

SRF

There was a risk of rockfalls and debris flows on the road to Saas-Grund after heavy rainfall on Saturday and Sunday night. The route between Saas-Grund and Saas-Almagell has been open again since Sunday.

Interruption between Faido and Airolo

The railway line over the Gotthard is interrupted between Airolo and Faido. According to the SBB, the closure is expected to last until 8 a.m. on Monday morning. This means that no trains will run between German-speaking Switzerland and Ticino until 8 a.m. The reason for the closure is the danger of avalanches.

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