Rainfall in the Swiss canton of Valais has caused severe flooding, isolating Zermatt and prompting evacuations as authorities raise alert levels.
Three people were missing on Saturday after massive thunderstorms and rainfall in the south-east caused a landslide, authorities said.
One woman was pulled out alive after being buried by the landslide in the Alpine valley of Misox in Graubünden. A rescue operation for the three others is ongoing.
Elsewhere, the popular tourist town Zermatt in the southern canton of Valais near the iconic Matterhorn mountain remains inaccessible. Heavy rains and melting snow have caused the Mattervispa River to overflow, cutting it off.
Dramatic videos showed the otherwise small river that flows through Zermatt turning into a muddy flash flood, partially submerging streets in the popular ski resort.
The Matterhorn-Gotthard Railway halted operations with no alternative transportation available, the railway company announced on social media on Saturday morning.
And emergency services in the canton of Valais have been on high alert over the levels of the Rhone River, which reached its peak on Saturday.
Authorities have warned residents to avoid lower parts of their houses, including cellars, and keep away from swelling rivers and refrain from parking on bridges. People were also advised against filming or photographing the floods due to safety reasons.
Train services between Visp and Zermatt have been suspended, with replacement buses operating between Visp and Täsch to accommodate stranded passengers.
In Zermatt, the Vispa River overflowed its banks on Friday morning, leading to the closure of schools. Authorities have been on high alert since the early hours, with local media reporting extensive preparations to manage the flood risk.
The banks of the Rhone and its tributaries will be off-limits to the public this weekend due to the flooding risk.
