What a horrible event to have witnessed! I am sure you need time to unwind after this. Perhaps you can find a quieter spot in Switzerland to salvage your vacay.

I am not sure who in this group is in the area but I hope you are all safe and that your homes and businesses haven’t been damaged.

I just realize that many people in this forum don't understand that the Alps are not a Disneyland, but an area in constant move. Why would Switzerland have spent billions of CHF in the last decades in order to make roads and railway lines safer creek and mountaiin river corrections, dams, tunnels, protection galleries, electronic warning systems high in the mountains, at altitudes up to 3500m metres)?

Some decades ago - before a lot of very expensive works werer done - the Loetschental, for example, was closed/isolated almost every winter for 1 week or 2 bcause of avalanches.It was inhabited all the year round neverhteless.
Same remark for Val Bedretto.
The old Furka railway between Oberwald and Andermatt was dismantled every automn and rebuilt in late spring. Otherwise the line would have destroyed by avalanches and flushed into the valley for sure.
A few years ago, a serious earth sslide stoped just a fw metres before the village of Raron (Valais).
The village of Brinzauls (Grauuenden) iss lowly sliding down the hill during decades. Actially, big works are done in order to stop this movement, with no guarantee.
Last year, a big earth slide destroyed parts oif the village of Schwanden (Glarus)
One of the biggest rock avalanches took place a few years ago at Bondo (Graubuenden). The village hat to be evacuated.
Some 20 years ago, a rock avalanche destroyed a part of the village of Taesch (Zermatt).
Some 30 years ago, the whoe city of Brig was under water.
Ss to the inundations of this year, see my psot 17 above.
etc. etc.

Insurance is good. I doubt that dealing with the aftereffects of a disaster is ever easy.

I just realize that many people in this forum don't understand that the Alps are not a Disneyland, but an area in constant move. Why would Switzerland have spent billions of CHF in the last decades in order to make roads and railway lines safer creek and mountaiin river corrections, dams, tunnels, protection galleries, electronic warning systems high in the mountains, at altitudes up to 3500m metres)?

Some decades ago - before a lot of very expensive works werer done - the Loetschental, for example, was closed/isolated almost every winter for 1 week or 2 bcause of avalanches.It was inhabited all the year round neverhteless.
Same remark for Val Bedretto.
The old Furka railway between Oberwald and Andermatt was dismantled every automn and rebuilt in late spring. Otherwise the line would have destroyed by avalanches and flushed into the valley for sure.
A few years ago, a serious earth sslide stoped just a fw metres before the village of Raron (Valais).
The village of Brinzauls (Grauuenden) iss lowly sliding down the hill during decades. Actially, big works are done in order to stop this movement, with no guarantee.
Last year, a big earth slide destroyed parts oif the village of Schwanden (Glarus)
One of the biggest rock avalanches took place a few years ago at Bondo (Graubuenden). The village hat to be evacuated.
Some 20 years ago, a rock avalanche destroyed a part of the village of Taesch (Zermatt).
Some 30 years ago, the whoe city of Brig was under water.
Ss to the inundations of this year, see my psot 17 above.
etc. etc.

Zermatt and Thun
 

Hello,
I'm so sorry to see another terrible disaster has befallen Switzerland. I hope that people are all safe, and recovery will be fairly quick.

We (five adults) are to leave the U.S. on the 24th, flying into Zurich and taking the train (or replacement bus) to Zermatt, spending 4 days in Zermatt, then back to Thun, for a few days, then back to Zurich to fly home.
With this second storm and damage in Brienz, I'm considering changing our plans. I see rain and showers forecast for the next 10 days.

What advice could you offer?

Thanks in advance
J.A.

One of the biggest rock avalanches took place a few years ago at Bondo (Graubuenden). The village hat to be evacuated.

neckervd - I've watched the rebuilding and reconstruction of Bondo over the past few years. It's sobering to realize how vulnerable some of these villages are, yet completely understandable given the terrain. We're all at the mercy of unpredictible weather events and the volatility of the enviroments we live in. I for one, fully appreciate what Switzerland has done and continues to do in order to offset these events and improve accessibility.

Those of us who love and appreciate your country wish the affected residents a full recovery, atlhough I realize it will take months, of not years to get back to 'normal'.

Calabria62 - perhaps take a look at the Engadine instead, assuming you can secure lodging?

Your comment reminds me of work done along the sea to sky highway near vancouver b.c. Nature just swept the anti landslide fortifications away.
very sorry to hear of crop damage, that means higher food prices.

My spouse is on Lake Brienz & Thun at this moment.

Gavemover....and???? Tell us more!!! We got back to the US late last night. We were blessed to have excellent weather and precision connections throughout our trip with the weather brouhaha occurring literally on our last night in Lauterbrunnen. We escaped with minimum impact. As a tourist, my observations were focused on other tourists who were struggling with an Act of God and major natural disaster in the middle of a long vacation in a strange land. As you know most trips are carefully orchestrated and the delicate dance relies on connections, schedules, reservations etc. being coordinated and dependable. All I recall is a large group of people on the train platform in Lauterbrunnen looking totally bewildered as their routes, tickets, reservations and plans were completely blown up and they tried to deal with it carrying many large unwieldy suitcases and a huge language barrier. My partner and I have thankfully evolved although she still insists on one small checked bag...which will go by the wayside next trip. All carry ons. And there were just the two of us. This is what travel is! We were ok, but large groups families and first-timers were really tested. My advice...pack light! Remain flexible! Ya just never know!

To CALABRIA62
Swiss weather forecast for Zermatt:
Cloudy and up to2 mm rain until Sunday,
Rest of the week: dry and sunny, some inoffensive clouds
Temperatures in ceentigrades:
night: 8 - 10 degrees
day: 19 - 22 degres

Thun: similar, but temperatures a bit higher, as Thun is in the plain whereas Zermatt is in the centre of the highest mountains of Switzerland.

Possibile evoluzione da venerdì 23. agosto 2024 a giovedì 29. agosto 2024

La pressione al suolo resta piuttosto livellata. Il tempo sarà abbastanza soleggiato, ma con tendenza a qualche rovescio o temporale soprattutto nella seconda metà della giornata. Temperature massime comprese tra 27 e 30 gradi.

THE TRAINS TO GRINDELWALD RUN AGAIN AS USUAL.

The mayor of BRIENZ said this evening in the Bernese Television that a new serious problem occured:
All foreign tourists cancelled their stay at Brienz. Neither do they visit Brienz in day trips.
That despite the fact that everything there works as normal: hotels, restaurants, shops,wood carving school, wood carving museum, 18th century houses, Lake Brienz boats, Ballenberg Museum.........
Buses to Interlaken (every 30 min), Meiringen (every 30 min), Ballenberg (every 30 min), Axalp (every 2 hrs)........
So, all these things are more or less empty, but the fix costs and the operating costs remain..........

The weather there is actually a bit rainy. Next week it will get fine, with sun and temperatures up to 25 degrees centigrade.

I would be glad if a moderator would eventually publish my retained answer to Calabria

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...084d48e23d.jpg
My host in Brienz answered my inquiry.
My FeWo host .
Brienz Residents are asking that guests NOT cancel their visits and stays. Tourism is a financial mainstay.
The worst flooding was confined to the intersection where the Bahnhof and shipping pier are.
Tremendous cleanup has already occurred.
Boat traffic should be restored by early next week, and train service as well. The road is clear for buses.

It is also reassuring to hear that the bus up to Ballenberg is running normally as well. I believe there is a type of festival/market on the last weekend of September, and we were considering a hike along Axalp Schnitzlerweg to Hintersee.
Of course, we will check with the TI before setting out!

mokka4 I started searching online for news on Brienz since we're staying there in October. What are the chances that we have the same host! I was about to cancel cause the flood looked devastating. Please keep us updated.

Sorry that was one of my first posts and somehow my account got locked up. I still can’t post pictures. But essentially most everything was running that day that my wife was there immediately following that. There were areas that had some heavy damage and the trains all the way up into Grindelwald Were stopped for a little bit, but I think they were pretty much open very quickly thereafter. Essentially my wife had no real problems getting around. She actually is having more problems down by Zermatt.

Sylvia Michel Photography posted update.
This is very frustrating. I really only came here to post this information and again I’m not able to post it. Kind of hamstring by the site.
You can find her update on YouTube. Since I can’t post a link.

I believe this is the link you tried to post:

gavemover - I see that you're new here and have only posted three times. New members must post a certain number of times before they can add links and such. I'm not sure what that number is (maybe 10?) and a quick search to find it has failed due to my impatience. Perhaps another Fodorite knows the magic number.

Welcome to Fodor's.

yaaaas! She’s great! I can’t even reply to your message and quote you. I have to edit out the link in the quote. Lol.