Severe thunderstorms have disrupted travel across Switzerland, bringing floods, landslides and widespread delays to road, rail and air services. Authorities issued the highest weather alert level for some regions as heavy rain, hail and strong winds continued to move across the country.
The bad weather hit overnight into Wednesday and caused major problems in several cantons, including Uri, Obwalden and Zurich. More than 100 emergency call-outs were recorded in some municipalities, while the airport in Zurich cancelled dozens of flights and diverted others to cities in Switzerland, Germany and France.
Officials said the situation remained tense through Wednesday, with further storms possible, especially in central and eastern Switzerland. Travellers were urged to check local transport updates before setting out.
The federal authorities raised the warning to level 4, meaning a high danger, in some areas, while much of the country stayed under level 3 until 20:00. Meteorologists warned that more intense thunderstorms could bring heavy rain, hail and gusty winds during the day.
In Uri, the A2 motorway between Bolzbach and Seedorf was closed after flooding. The Susten Pass was also shut between Gorezmettlen and the summit after a rockfall or landslide. Local officials said heavy rainfall triggered several natural hazards, including mudslides and overflowing streams. They also reported a small forest fire after a lightning strike, but no one was injured.
Rail services were hit in Obwalden, where trains on the IR and S5 lines between Alpnach Dorf and Alpnachstad were suspended. The disruption added to the strain on one of the country’s main transport corridors as storm damage spread to more areas.
The worst effects were reported in the Zurich north region, including Wallisellen, Duebendorf and Rafz. Emergency crews responded to more than 100 incidents in some of those areas. In Wallisellen, an underpass filled with water in a short time, and a driver became stuck in a van that had to be towed away after he escaped safely.
Air travel was badly affected at Zurich Airport. On Tuesday evening, operations stopped for about 2 hours after a nearly stationary thunderstorm cell moved over the area. More than 30 aircraft were unable to land in Zurich and were diverted to Basel, Geneva, Stuttgart and Lyon.
Initial figures showed 44 flights were cancelled, and authorities later allowed some take-offs and landings after normal closing time to reduce the backlog. The disruption continued on Wednesday, with the airport saying about 70 more flights had been cancelled since the morning.
The travel chaos came as weather forecasters warned that the risk remained elevated across the country. Strong rain was still expected in central and eastern Switzerland, and officials said the public should keep checking road, rail and flight information before travelling.
Swiss authorities have faced repeated weather-related disruption this summer as heavy downpours and thunderstorms hit parts of Europe. For visitors, the latest warning underlines how quickly transport in alpine regions can be affected by flooding, landslides and fast-changing conditions.
Although the storms had eased in some places by Wednesday, officials said no immediate improvement was expected. The combination of saturated ground, more rain and unstable slopes meant further local disruption could still occur.
