As high winds from storm Eleanor (Burglind in German) blew across Europe and through Switzerland, flights were disrupted, trucks overturned, trees blown over, buildings damaged and a train derailed. Here are some images from Twitter.
Après Eleanor, la Suisse fait ses comptes https://t.co/TbJARJH1F4 #Suisse
— Tribune de Genève (@tdgch) January 4, 2018
The image above is a truck on the A1 between Oensingen and Niederbipp in Switzerland.
Violente rafale de vent – La tempête a fait dérailler un train en Suisse https://t.co/s5hZlqwBWM
— richemayotte (@richemayotte) January 4, 2018
The photograph above shows a derailed train in the commune of Lenk. Two people were injured in the incident according to RTS.
Un lecteur a filmé le déraillement du MOB à La Lenk https://t.co/51BsXpxXnB pic.twitter.com/MrIH9ExizH
— 20 minutes (@20minutesOnline) January 4, 2018
The video above shows the same train coming off the tracks.
Genève: Avions malmenés par le vent à Cointrin https://t.co/AWHe56S7zJ
— 20 minutes (@20minutesOnline) January 3, 2018
The video above shows aircraft struggling to land at Geneva Airport. According to 20 Minutes, Geneva Airport said five flights were diverted, mainly to nearby Saint-Exupéry Airport outside the French city of Lyon. At the same time certain flights scheduled to land at Basel and Zurich were diverted to Geneva Airport. Basel Airport was closed for an hour and a half yesterday morning, according to the newspaper.
Et sinon, #Eleanor a décoiffé la Suisse romande hier. Des tuiles, des arbres et des #tumulus de #Payerne qui lancent des bonbons. C’est avec @24hdgenillard et c’est ici : https://t.co/nQdy3EG6FS pic.twitter.com/5wS8psTcp6
— Erwan Le Bec (@ErwanLeBec) January 4, 2018
This photograph shows building damage at Payerne.
La tempête Eleanor sème le chaos https://t.co/diTcjqsVMQ #Suisse
— Tribune de Genève (@tdgch) January 3, 2018
According to Swiss broadcaster RTS, early estimates of the costs of the damage are between CHF 6 and CHF 10 million in the canton of Bern alone, the worst hit canton, based on an estimate by the cantonal insurance company GVB, which reckons claims could number 5,000. The cantonal insurer in Zurich, reported receiving 800 claims so far and gave a cost estimate of more than CHF 2 million. Both figures are expected to climb.
In the same article RTS said around 50,000 homes had suffered temporary power cuts.
Heavy snow and rain warnings have now overtaken wind warnings in many regions, particularly high altitude parts of western Switzerland, according to Swiss Meteo. Avalanche risks are also high and some rail and lift services are still not operating.
More on this:
RTS article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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