Gradual return to normal after heavy rain and flooding in Switzerland

Civil protection workers clear a mudslide in the centre of Champery, canton Valais, after heavy rains, November 15, 2023. © Keystone /

After many Swiss rivers reported critical levels on Wednesday, the situation appears to have gradually stabilised.

The flooding risks on several lakes and rivers remained “elevated” (level 3 on a scale of 1-5) between Wednesday and Thursday. This was the case for the Arve River in Geneva, lakes Biel and Thun as well as the Rhine in the Basel region.

In Geneva, the situation gradually returned to normal on Wednesday afternoon after five of the eight bridges spanning the Arve were closed, causing significant traffic disruptions. The river experienced its highest volumetric flow ever on Wednesday morning: over 1,000 cubic metres per second.

+ Several bridges shut in Geneva due to flood threat

Parts of the city of Fribourg in western Switzerland also experienced flooding on Tuesday night through to Wednesday, according to the authorities. Several parked vehicles were damaged, and cellars flooded.

Also in canton Fribourg, around fifty residents of Charmey had to temporarily leave their homes overnight following the overflow of the Jogne River. 

In Valais, landslides caused debris flows in Champéry, causing the Nant de Gleux to overflow similar to 2018. Roads were also cut due to landslides in several valleys.

+ Floods from melting glaciers: can they be predicted and prevented?

In canton Vaud, the waters started receding at midday on Wednesday. Firefighters and various emergency services had installed 230 metres of mobile dams in Aigle and Vallorbe.

The flow of the Rhône River also reached its alert level during the heavy rains.

In German-speaking Switzerland, the Rhine River reached record levels, leading to the interruption of river traffic between Rheinfelden, canton Aargau, and the French commune of Kembs. 

Storm Jasper brought heavy precipitation across Switzerland. According to MeteoSwiss, 80 to 100 millimetres of rain fell between Sunday and Wednesday mainly north of the Alps. In the Valais and the Vaudois Alps, 110-180 mm of rain were recorded.

Mild temperatures raised the rain-snow limit to 2,000 metres on Tuesday morning in the western Alps. Recent snowfalls melted and caused the waterways to swell.

From Wednesday to Thursday, an anticyclone will bring a temporary calm and generally dry weather, says MeteoSwiss. On Thursday evening, a stormy depression is expected to sweep through Switzerland. The meteorological agency has issued a level 3 pre-alert for the north of the Alps. Winds of 70 to 100 km/h are expected in the lowlands and 110 to 150 km/h in the Jura and the Alps.

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