Thunderstorms predicted These thunderstorm rules apply in Valais and Ticino
Heavy rainfall in Valais and Ticino can trigger debris flows. The cantons are reminding people of the rules of conduct. They are cautious with closures.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- In Valais, Ticino and Graubünden, precipitation is again expected to hit saturated ground.
- The canton of Ticino has issued rules of conduct following the recent storms.
- Even though the risk of flooding has decreased, landslides may still occur.
The soil is still saturated with water. Heavy rain could therefore trigger debris flows and flooding. Nevertheless, some people will not miss the weekend in the south of the Alps, as the traffic jam at the Gotthard tunnel on Friday and Saturday shows.
What should be done to stay safe when the weather changes and could cause the ground to slide again? The canton of Ticino announced on July 4 that it was working on an evacuation plan for the upper Maggia Valley, where four people died in the storm last weekend and several bridges and houses were destroyed.
The areas in the side valleys of the Maggia that have already been hit are restricted zones. No one is allowed to travel there. It remains to be seen whether the remaining residents will stay there.
These rules of conduct apply in Ticino
The canton refers to the rules of conduct that it issued after the debris flows in the upper Maggia Valley:
Rules of conduct in Ticino
- Unless absolutely necessary, avoid traveling to areas affected by bad weather.
- If you are in areas affected by bad weather, reduce your travel to a minimum.
- Take particular care near watercourses.
- Do not swim in the Maggia river or in the delta (Locarno, Tenero and Ascona).
- Keep access routes clear for rescue and emergency vehicles.
- Strictly follow the instructions of the authorities and keep up to date via the official channels.
The canton of Valais has lifted the flood alert after the level of the Rhone and other bodies of water in the canton fell. In addition, the A9 highway is back in operation and the Simplon Pass road is also open again.
However, the canton warns that the floods have weakened the river banks. "Landslides may occur frequently," it writes in a press release.
It therefore advises people not to stay near riverbeds over the next few days. The same applies to hiking trails. These could be damaged in places and the terrain could be unstable. However, there are no closed areas in the canton of Valais.