Swiss firemen killed in flood

2005-08-22 15:44

Geneva - Two Swiss firemen have been killed in a landslide as heavy rain caused flooding and cut roads, railway and electricity lines across central and western Switzerland, authorities said on Monday.

The two men were trying to clear debris from an earlier incident near the village of Schwaendi when they were caught by a mudslide on Sunday night, police in the canton of Lucerne said.

Several villages in the central Alpine foothills were cut off by the bad weather. Authorities in the town of Sarnen told inhabitants to stay on the upper floors of their homes because a nearby lake was threatening to break its banks.

At least five main railway lines were cut and several main roads were closed, disrupting travel throughout the area.

Three Swiss military helicopters were drafted in to help and the Swiss army was ready to provide transport and personnel to help civilian fire and rescue services who were already working around the clock, authorities said.

Authorities also halted boat traffic and issued an alert further west in the town of Thun, after the lake passed its high water level.

Low-lying areas of the nearby Swiss capital Bern were under a 50cm of water after the river Aare overflowed.

The flooding also spread northwards towards the Jura hills and landslides were reported further west by Lake Geneva.

- AFP