Extreme snow chaos in the Alps: dead, closures and emergencies!

Extreme snow chaos in the Alps: dead, closures and emergencies!

violent snow and rainfalls have caused considerable traffic impairments in the Alps, especially in Italy, France and Switzerland. On Friday, trucks were no longer allowed to use the Mont Blanc tunnel between France and Italy. The effects of the extreme weather conditions can be felt everywhere and the authorities have published numerous warnings. In some areas, over a meter of fresh snow have already been measured.

In the Swiss canton of Valais, there were significant traffic disruptions because the avalanche danger remains high. Dozens of vehicles were on the A43 motorway between Italy and France. In the city of Sitte, the 36,000 inhabitants were asked to stay at home after there were considerable amounts of snow there too. The authority describes the situation in Valais as a "complex" with numerous blocked streets and traffic axes, including the Simplon Pass and the tunnel on the Großer St. Bernhard.

accidents and evacuations

The weather conditions led to tragic incidents, including the death of three people. A 92-year-old drowned in her house in Piedmont, Italy when a nearby stream stepped over the bank. Another fatal incident occurred in Veneto, where a father and son died when her car fell into a hole in a bridge damaged by floods. In Tignes, France, a woman suffered a heart attack and was buried by an avalanche; The authorities asked the residents to stay in their houses.

In the Aostatal, several houses and stables were evacuated, and the A5 motorway from Turin to Aosta was temporarily closed. There were also mura exits and landslides in the affected areas, which blocked additional road and railway lines. Due to the bad weather, many schools were also closed in the canton of Valais, and several communities were temporarily without electricity.

Current weather conditions and warnings

Although the snowfalls have now stopped and a weather calming has occurred, the avalanche risk remains high at all altitudes. In France, the second highest avalanche warning level was proclaimed in the Savoie department, while the canton of Valais in Switzerland also suffers from the second highest warning level. Despite the expected relaxation in the Italian region of Piedmont, in which the warning level was reduced from red to orange, there is still a risk of flood in cities such as Parma and Piacenza.

The Federal Foreign Office has advised travelers to find out more about the current weather and traffic situation and to carry winter equipment. In northern Italy, violent rain was expected with wind speeds of up to 110 km/h, which led to the closure of parks in Milan. The situation remains tense and road users should be prepared for longer waiting times and blocked roads.

The authorities advise to move travel to the affected areas until the situation has stabilized. It is to be hoped that the coming time will improve the situation.

like Vol.at reported these extreme weather events before enormous challenges, and those affected continue to be careful. Further information is also available at Br.de