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Freeing Swiss tourist resort from landslide to take more time

Parts of the popular Swiss tourist resort, Brienz, remain closed off following a landslide earlier this month. Road and rail links continue to be disrupted by an unusually large mass of rock and debris that fell on the town.

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Geologists measured a volume of 12,400 cubic metres of displaced rock in the alluvial collector, and 50,000 cubic metres downstream. The debris mass exceeds all previous estimates for the Milibach river.

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As of Wednesday morning, different exclusion zones will be set up for the Milibach river area and along the lake. Outside the safety perimeter, buildings can be occupied again.

In certain yellow danger zones, access to houses will be by appointment and accompanied from Thursday onwards. Some orange areas, however, will remain off-limits due to clearing work.

The cantonal road through Brienz will remain closed until at least Monday. Replacement buses are available. Brienz West station will not be served.

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The railway line between Meiringen and Interlaken Ost, canton Bern, will remain closed until at least September 29. Replacement buses will serve all stations and stops, with the exception of Brienz West, from August 24.

Around 1.5 kilometres of Brienz’s railway infrastructure was completely destroyed. Electrical, safety and cable installations were also affected. Clearance work along the Zentralbahn route is continuing.

Translated from French by DeepL/mga

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