Storm Evacuees will have to be patient
Water, debris and rubble: the Mühlebach caused extensive damage in the Brienz district of Aenderdorf.
Image: Keystone
Brienz municipal council president Peter Zumbrunn thanked the population for their solidarity and for providing accommodation for those evacuated from the damaged area.
Image: Keystone
Mountains of rubble and debris in the Brienz district of Aenderdorf.
Image: Keystone
Some residents of the devastated houses are likely to need a lot of patience. There are no signs of a quick return.
Image: Keystone
The traces of the devastating storm in Brienz were still visible in many places on Wednesday.
Image: Keystone
Water, debris and rubble: the Mühlebach caused extensive damage in the Brienz district of Aenderdorf.
Image: Keystone
Brienz municipal council president Peter Zumbrunn thanked the population for their solidarity and for providing accommodation for those evacuated from the damaged area.
Image: Keystone
Mountains of rubble and debris in the Brienz district of Aenderdorf.
Image: Keystone
Some residents of the devastated houses are likely to need a lot of patience. There are no signs of a quick return.
Image: Keystone
The traces of the devastating storm in Brienz were still visible in many places on Wednesday.
Image: Keystone
After the devastating storm on Monday evening, the clean-up work in Brienz BE is in full swing. Some of the 70 evacuees will have to be patient. There are no signs of a quick return to the houses, some of which have been badly damaged.
14.08.2024, 17:35
14.08.2024, 17:42
SDA
The solidarity in the village is great and private accommodation has been found for all those affected, said Peter Zumbrunn, president of the municipal council, to the media in Brienz on Wednesday afternoon. He thanked everyone who had spontaneously made apartments or vacation homes available.
Longer-term solutions will be needed, explained Zumbrunn. "We're not talking about days or weeks here, but months." If the weather and safety permit, those affected can go into their homes under escort to get the essentials, such as urgently needed medication. Where necessary, the municipality is helping out, for example with cash.
Road closed until Sunday
Meanwhile, the evacuation work in the village is progressing. The major axes should be clear again by Friday evening. According to Zumbrunn, the main road will certainly remain closed until Sunday. According to the Zentralbahn, the badly damaged railroad line will remain closed for several weeks. Replacement buses will be running.
The electricity and water supply has largely been restored. In the meantime, the mail is still being temporarily stored in Interlaken. The plan is for it to be delivered again on Thursday, explained Zumbrunn. Information for the public was planned for Wednesday evening.
Wedged boulders
Numerous large boulders have become wedged in the Mühlebach stream, which overflowed its banks on Monday. "We have 30-ton excavators on site, but they can't get the boulders out," reported the municipal council president. They would now probably have to be broken up by blasting.
However, the stream channel has been cleared enough to allow the water to drain away. In the event of heavy rainfall, it will be channelled through an alley or, in the worst case, back through the railroad tunnel towards the station. A dam has been built in the east to protect the adjacent part of the village from possible flooding.
Numerous offers of help have been received in Brienz in the last few hours, many of them from private individuals. The latter could be deployed in around ten days, said Zumbrunn. At the moment, the priority is rough clearing with heavy machinery, which requires specialist personnel.
Därligen open again
The storm on Monday evening caused damage not only in Brienz. Mud and water also flooded roads in the Grindelwald valley and on Lake Thun. The road to Grindelwald was reopened on Tuesday evening and the road to Därligen on Lake Thun on Wednesday.
Due to the storm and the uncertain weather forecast for the weekend, the Inferno Triathlon from Thun via Interlaken to the Schilthorn was canceled. The half marathon will take place.
