Floods and landslides in 2019 – western Switzerland bears the brunt of damage
In 2019, floods, landslides, debris flows, rockfall and rockslides caused some CHF 85 million of damage in Switzerland, making it a relatively low-damage year. The cantons of Geneva, Vaud and Neuchâtel were the hardest hit. The damage primarily resulted from flooding, overland flow and debris flows, mostly triggered by thunderstorms. Rockfalls and a debris flow each claimed two lives, while a fifth person was killed by a flood. These were the conclusions of the annual analysis of the Swiss flood and landslide damage database kept by the Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL).