Flood

While the winter of 1950/1951 went down in history as a devastating avalanche winter with numerous in the history of Switzerland, many Alpine valleys were hit by devastating floods the following summer. In the Viamala region, too, the floods caused by heavy thunderstorms with abundant rainfall led to major damage.

Brute force

Here in the Viamala Gorge, the destructive effect of the masses of water left lasting traces. On 8 August 1951, for example, the flood tore the massive natural stone steps from the staircase built in 1903 with unbridled force. The missing steps were subsequently replaced with concrete treads. This means that the flood level at that time can still be easily recognised today, even without the mark painted on the rock face.

Note on the translation:

This text was translated with the help of Deepl. Please note that automatic translations may contain errors. If you notice any discrepancies, please let us know so that we can make any necessary improvements.