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CLIMATE CRISIS

Thousands greet climate activists after Swiss march

Several thousand people crowded a Bern square Saturday to welcome four climate activists as they completed a 224-kilometre (140-mile) march across Switzerland to demand more ambitious climate action.

Thousands greet climate activists after Swiss march
Photo: PIERRE ALBOUY/AFP.

The four women — university professor Julia Steinberger, lawyer Irene Wettstein, infectiologist Valerie d’Acremont and political scientist Bastienne Joerchel — had set off from Geneva on their “Marche Bleu”, or “Blue March”, on April 1.

The purpose of the march, which saw them make stops in a number of Swiss towns and cities, was to call on Switzerland to do more to adhere to the 2015 Paris Agreement.

In an online petition, they are demanding that the wealthy Alpine country “make it an absolute priority to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by half before 2030 and to reach net zero by 2050”.

Dozens and sometimes hundreds of mostly women accompanied them on the different legs of their march, with around 150 people walking with them during the last part of the journey Saturday, the ATS news agency reported.

Nearly 4,000 people showed up to welcome them to Bern and to rally in the square in front of the Swiss government and parliament buildings, the news agency said.

“Our political demands are urgent,” Steinberger told the RTS broadcaster, lamenting that “Switzerland is very, very far behind, and has even gone backwards” on lists of how well countries are adhering to the Paris climate agreement.

“Climate action is everyone’s business.”

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FLOODS

IN PICTURES: What’s the latest after Switzerland hit by devastating floods?

Parts of Switzerland including the canton of Graubünden and the resort of Zermatt were hit by huge floods over the weekend which left buildings and roads destroyed. Here's the latest as two people remain missing.

IN PICTURES: What's the latest after Switzerland hit by devastating floods?

A massive thunderstorm on Friday night unleashed the rivers in the eastern canton, causing a rock and mud avalanche in the municipality of Misox.

The resort of Zermatt, in nearby canton of Valais, was also impacted and was temporarily cut off from the rest of the country.

Additionally, landslide of mud and rubble destroyed a part of the north-south axis of the A13 motorway.

The collapsed section, between Thusis (GR) and Bellinzona (TI), is an important throughway for both passenger and commercial traffic, as it connects Switzerland with Italy.

This photograph shows signs at the entrance of the hamlet of Sorte, south of Lostallo in the Moesa Region in the Swiss canton of Graubunden (Grisons) after violent downpours caused floods and landslides on June 23, 2024. Photo by Piero CRUCIATTI / AFP

This aerial photograph shows a view of the hamlet of Sorte, south of Lostallo in the Moesa Region in the Swiss canton of Graubunden (Grisons) after violent downpours caused floods and landslides on June 23, 2024. Photo by Piero CRUCIATTI / AFP

According to the Graubünden cantonal police, this section will remain out of service “for months,” including the busy summer holiday period.

This is the update on these events:

Missing people

One of the victims, a woman, was found alive in rocks and mud on Saturday, and taken to a hospital. 

This photograph shows rocks around houses in the hamlet of Sorte, south of Lostallo in the Moesa Region in the Swiss canton of Graubunden (Grisons) after violent downpours caused floods and landslides on June 23, 2024. Photo: Piero CRUCIATTI / AFP

The body of a man was found eight kilometres from where he went missing, police said.

The other two people remain missing at this point and  “the probability of finding them alive is low,” said William Kloter, spokesperson for Graubünden police.

Zermatt

After having been suspended over much of the weekend, public transport to the famous Alpine resort, where no cars are permitted, is again operating on a regular schedule.

You can find all the timetable here

The A13 motorway

While the repair work on the 200-metre collapsed section has already began, it is still unclear how long the motorway closure will last, given the extent of damage.

The Buffalora bridge on the A13 did not suffer too much damage.

This aerial photograph shows a view of the A13 motorway section which collapsed in an area flooded by the Moesa river near Mesocco in the Graubunden (Grisons) canton in Switzerland on June 23, 2024. -(Photo by Piero CRUCIATTI / AFP)

However, a spokesperson for the Federal Roads Office told public broadcaster SRF on Monday that “with a bridge, you have to be able to ensure the structural stability. Work can only really begin once the floodwaters have receded. And that depends on the weather conditions.”

So what is the weather forecast for the affected areas?

According to meteorologist Simon Eschle, “there is no widespread rain in sight over the next few days. There will be occasional thunderstorms on Tuesday or Wednesday, but overall, there should be some relief for now.”

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