Masses of debris sweep away villages Pictures and videos show destruction in Valais and Ticino

The violent storms at the weekend have left their mark. Pictures show the extent of the destruction in Valais and Ticino.

Severe storms have once again swept across Switzerland. Parts of the cantons of Valais and Ticino were hit hard on Saturday and during the night. At least four people lost their lives, three in Ticino and one in the canton of Valais.

In both cantons, a search was still underway for one missing person each. The authorities did not rule out further victims on Sunday. The Maggia Valley was hit particularly hard. A bridge near Cevio was torn away.

In Fontana in the Maggia Valley, numerous houses were buried and destroyed by the masses of debris. On Sunday morning, the bodies of two women were recovered in Val Bavona near a landslide. A third body was later found in the same area.

A summer colony of 40 children and 30 adults from Mogno in the upper Val Lavizzara was evacuated. The 300 people who had gathered for a football tournament in Peccia, also in Val Lavizzara, were also all brought to safety by the evening.

Severe destruction in Valais

Valais was also badly affected. In Saas-Grund, a man was found lifeless under the rubble in a hotel.

The village of Saas-Grund has "paid dearly", as have several other valleys, in particular Goms and Zermatt, said Raphaël Mayoraz, head of the Natural Hazards Office. The roads into the Saas Valley - between Saas-Balen and Saas-Grund and from Saas-Grund to Saas-Almagell - are still closed.

According to the authorities, the storms in Valais have caused between 15 and 20 million francs worth of damage to cantonal roads. The cantons of Valais and Ticino have requested the help of the army.

According to the authorities, the storms in Valais have caused between 15 and 20 million francs worth of damage to cantonal roads.