The mountain village of Brienz/Brinzauls in canton Graubünden, which narrowly escaped a major landslide, will soon welcome back its residents during the day from June 26. However, the water supply is still uncertain.
This content was published on
3 minutes
Keystone-SDA/RTS/amva
Español
es
Un pueblo suizo evacuado permitirá regresar a sus habitantes
According to a tweet by the municipality of Albula on Thursday afternoon, the village of Brienz/Brinzauls will once again be accessible to residents from June 26 onwards. While the evacuation order remains in effect for now, residents will be permitted to return during the day with a special permit. However, the general ban on entering the area still applies, the municipality said.
The municipality said on Thursday that almost all meadows in the village can be farmed again. Starting from Monday, farmers will be permitted to enter the village between 8am and 9pm. The municipality will directly inform them via an SMS service in case of any safety concerns. However, the closure of airspace in the area remains in effect.
Vacation home owners receive special permit
Starting from Friday, June 30, owners of vacation homes will also receive a special permit to return to the village. The municipality encourages residents to report any damage to their homes to the municipality. Christian Gartmann, spokesperson for the municipality, mentioned in a statement to the Keystone-SDA news agency.
No drinking water
There is a concern regarding a burst water pipe, which is unrelated to the landslide. The pipe is expected to be replaced by the end of next week, but until then, residents will not have access to drinking water.
Municipality aims for full return
The municipal management staff is optimistic that the residents of Brienz will be allowed to fully return to their homes soon. However, this will require continued monitoring and data analysis by geologists. Gartmann emphasised the importance of these measures.
Presently, there have been no new incidents or accelerated rock movements on the slope above the village since last week’s huge landslide. In fact, there have been several consecutive days without any incidents, which is highly unusual for Brienz, according to Gartmann.
Reflectors replaced following landslide
After the major landslide in Brienz/Brinzauls on June 16, some of the reflectors used to measure the speed of rockslides on the slope were damaged. However, geologists replaced these reflectors on Tuesday.
Gartmann informed Keystone-SDA on Wednesday that a comprehensive assessment of the rock face had been completed. The objective is to determine the level of remaining danger to the village of Brienz.
A huge landslide occurred at Brienz/Brinzauls in the early hours of Thursday, June 16. An estimated 1.5 million cubic meters of rock slid down the mountainside, narrowly avoiding the village. However, it covered a cantonal road and left a significant deposit in front of the school building. Additionally, the landslide caused damage to the reflectors used for monitoring the rock face.
What do you think Switzerland’s Alain Berset can bring to the Council of Europe?
The former interior minister is to become the first Swiss Secretary General of the Council of Europe – which issues should his five-year term focus on?
How is your country dealing with the return of stolen artifacts?
Western nations like Switzerland often have to deal with the process of recovering or returning looted artifacts which have been illegally imported. What’s the situation like in your country?
This content was published on
Unknown assailants detonated an ATM in canton Vaud early Sunday morning, causing extensive damage to the building. The perpetrators fled the scene and remain at large.
Kudelski Group to sell Skidata division to Assa Abloy
This content was published on
The Kudelski Group is selling its Skidata division to the Swedish manufacturer of locking and security systems Assa Abloy.
Tragic weekend in Swiss waters: three bodies recovered
This content was published on
Swiss authorities recovered three bodies from local waters over the weekend, with one incident occurring in Zurich and two in Zug.
Lake Parade in Geneva attracts over 100,000 people
This content was published on
The 22nd Lake Parade and the Lake Sensation in Geneva attracted over 100,000 people in summery weather on Saturday. There were no major incidents at either event.
Graubünden storm causes significant economic damage, prompting support measures
This content was published on
The recent storm in Misox, in canton Graubünden, has resulted in severe economic damage, affecting SMEs, tourism, and agricultural land.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Huge landslide narrowly misses Swiss mountain village
This content was published on
A large section of the crumbling mountain above Brienz/Brinzauls broke off around midnight narrowly missing the village in southeastern Switzerland.
This content was published on
Residents of rockslide-threatened Brienz/Brinzauls have been fetching items from their homes to make their lives in exile more bearable.
Risk of huge rockslide demolishing Swiss village recedes
This content was published on
The likelihood of a major collapse of the crumbling mountain above Brienz/Brinzauls has decreased but can still not be ruled out.
Inhabitants of evacuated Swiss village briefly allowed back in
This content was published on
Residents of rockslide-threatened Brienz/Brinzauls were temporarily allowed home on Wednesday for the first time since May.
This content was published on
A mass of rock slipping down a mountainside towards a Swiss village is gathering momentum, the local authorities have warned.
This content was published on
The looming collapse of the mountain above a Swiss village has put the inhabitants’ faith to the test. We spoke with the local Catholic priest.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.