Tidal wave of rocks

Eight missing as Swiss village cut off

A HUGE landslide has hit an alpine valley in southeast Switzerland, with eight people reported missing.

Millions of cubic metres of rock and mud flowed down into the Bondasca valley, stopping just metres from the village of Bondo near the Italian border.

The landslide area was last night reported to be more than 5km long and “tens of metres” high in places.

The massive rocks cut off the village, from which 100 people were evacuated. The reshaping of the remote valley forced the evacuation of several other villages.

Stranded hikers had to be rescued by helicopters after their routes in and out were swamped by rocks and mud.

Eight German, Austrian and Swiss citizens were still listed as missing last night.

Six other people who were initially also reported missing after the landslide struck were later found safe a couple of kilometres away across the border in Italy.

A search and rescue operation relied on army helicopters, equipped with infra-red cameras and technology to de- tect mobile signals. On the ground, 120 rescuers with specially trained dogs were involved.

The landslide also caused a major flood that flowed down towards Bondo.

The rocks fell from Piz Cengalo into the Bondasca valley close to the village.

Police said 12 farm buildings had been destroyed by the flow of debris.