1 dead, 2 missing and A13 washed out after landslide

The hunt is still on for two people that remain missing after a landslide that washed away a large section of autoroute in canton Graubünden over the weekend.

One body has now been recovered – and police say they don’t believe the other two remain alive.

Heavy rain on Friday night triggered a massive landslide in the Mesocco valley. A 200-meter long section of the A13 has been washed away – and several nearby houses were hit.

It will take weeks to rebuild the road- and the impact could be felt across the country. 

The route is a main north/south artery and there are not many alternatives through the mountainous area.

The Federal Roads Office says it will take weeks, even months, to rebuild the road. Although a single-track route could be reopened earlier. 

The closure will mean other Alp crossing points are likely to be busier – such as the Gotthard and Lötschberg tunnels. It could also have an effect on supply lines. Normally 350 trucks use the route everyday.

 

 

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