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Heavy rains trigger floods and landslides in Switzerland

23 June 2024 00:13 (UTC +04:00)

Emergency services with helicopters, drones and rescue dogs searched on Saturday for three people who were missing after violent downpours caused floods and landslides in southwestern Switzerland, APA reports quoting Reuters.

MeteoSchweiz, the government's office for weather and climate, said 124 mm (4.88 inches) of rain fell in Mesolcina valley in the canton of Grisons on Friday, with 63 mm (2.48 inches) falling in a one-hour period.

"It was not the level of rain, but the concentration of rain in such a short period of time which caused the problems," a spokesman for MeteoSchweiz said.

"This concentration of rain happens only once every 30 years."

Several rivers burst their banks in Mesolcina valley, also known as Misox, covering roads, fields and villages with rubble, earth and wood.

Three houses and three cars were swept away by water in the village of Sorte, Grisons police said. Two police officers were able to escape from their vehicle which was submerged up to its roof.