Post-landslide: Bondo tourism areas set to remain shut

The Val Bondasca, site of the huge landslide in Switzerland last August, is expected to stay closed for the rest of the year. Further rockfalls in the valley near the village of Bondo cannot be ruled out, experts say.

More mud and debris flows also remain a possibility, Anna Giacometti, mayor of Bregaglia, which represents five communes in the Val Bondasca, including Bondo, told Swiss public radio SRF on Friday.

There is still a mass of rock and mud in Val Bondasca – a remote area popular with hikers and climbers – which could start to move again if there is heavy rainfall or snowmelt, she said.

On August 23, the Piz Cengalo mountain on the Swiss-Italian border collapsed,resulting in a massive landslide made up of rock, debris and mud. A second landslide followed two days later. Altogether, some three million cubic metres of rock and earth came down – making it one of the largest landslides in Swiss history.

Here is a clip of the landslide in action last August.

Eight hikers went missing and are presumed dead.The landslide caused CHF41 million ($42 million) in damage.

The closure affects everyone: tourists, hunters and owners of mountain huts. Also remaining shut are the two Swiss Alpine Club mountain huts near the Piz Cengalo.

SDA-ATS/SRF/ilj