In a grave incident following severe storms in southern Switzerland, a significant landslide in the Fontana area of the Maggia valley, near Locarno, has resulted in the deaths of two individuals and left one person missing. The region, primarily affected on Saturday and overnight into Sunday, witnessed extraordinary rainfall and storm conditions, particularly in the Italian-speaking Ticino canton, located on the southern side of the Alps.

Police confirmed the recovery of two bodies from the landslide debris, currently in the process of identification. Search and rescue operations are ongoing for another individual feared to be trapped under the landslide. The intensity of the storms has necessitated the evacuation of camping sites along the Maggia river, further complicating the emergency response.

The violent weather also led to the partial collapse of the Visletto road bridge over a small river, severely impacting transportation and access to the area. Additionally, three other valleys in the region are currently unreachable by road, posing significant challenges to rescue and recovery efforts.

Further north, in Valais canton, the Rhone river has burst its banks in several areas, resulting in the flooding of a highway and a railway line, and exacerbating the disruption caused by the adverse weather conditions across the region.

The severity of these incidents highlights the vulnerability of mountainous regions to extreme weather events, which are becoming more frequent and intense, possibly due to climate change. The destruction of infrastructure and the tragic loss of life underscore the critical need for enhanced preparedness and resilient infrastructure to withstand such catastrophic events.

The catastrophic events in Ticino illustrate the dramatic and often tragic consequences of severe weather patterns, prompting urgent discussions on climate resilience and emergency response strategies in Switzerland and similar regions worldwide.

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