The Lonza flows again in the Swiss disaster area
The Lötschental in the Swiss canton of Valais is after the massive Glacier termination Another tragedy missed on Wednesday. The mountain flow lonza, which was pent-up behind a gigantic rubble cone, has been looking for new ways into the valley, the crashed ice, rock and scree material has remained largely stable and the temporarily feared tidal wave or a scree avalanche have not occurred for the time being.
The municipalities of Gampel and Steg informed the population at night that construction machinery is now being used to ensure the drain. « It is about ensuring the smooth process of rubble and alloy wood through the lonza stream bed within the village sectors, » it said.
Drainage water very dirty
As a precaution, residents emptied on the Lonza in Ferden below the disaster area fills up again with water. The operator of the power plant there was instructed to let go of more water as required in order to be able to absorb larger amounts of water. Because the water contains a lot of sediments, i.e. sand and abrasion from the rubble cone, it cannot be directed to electricity production through the turbines, as is actually intended there, the management staff said.
« We can’t look into the mountains »
The danger of an agency is still not banned. If the water of the Lonza on the rubble cone and other material sweeps and drives down the valley, the reservoir in Ferden should be able to collect this. Otherwise, the villages at the lower run of the Lonza – Gampel and Steg – would be at risk. Shortly before entering the Rhone, the Lonza flows partly through relatively narrow concrete channels that could quickly step over the shores when swelling. Measurement devices are used everywhere to monitor the location around the clock.
More rocks possible
Above the Lötschental, unstable rock had broken off in the mountains at around 3,000 meters and thundered on the Birschgletscher below. He broke off on Wednesday afternoon and rustled ice, rock and rubble into the valley with gigantic quantities. The village of Blatten is almost completely below the meter -high rubble cone. The approximately 300 inhabitants had previously been brought to safety. In the danger zone, there are further dropouts.
