SNOW WAY OUT!
Britons among 13,000 trapped in Swiss ski haven
THIRTEEN thousand tourists have been trapped in a popular Swiss ski resort – by too much snow.
In only two days of almost non-stop blizzard, some five feet of snow has fallen.
While many of those affected seem to be in no rush to return to work, the bad news for them is that the authorities in Zermatt have declared the risk of avalanche is so great that skiing is forbidden.
In the meantime, the hundreds of Britons among the ‘victims’ are finding that there are plenty of other activities to occupy them, including guided tours of the local brewery.
Although trains and roads to and from the village, which l i es i n the shadow of the Matterhorn, have been out of action since Monday, anyone truly desperate to escape could leave by helicopter. The £60 flight to a lower village, where transport is still running, takes three minutes.
The council was said to be setting off controlled explosions to help clear piled-up snow on roads and train tracks.
Some hamlets in the Valais canton, in which Zermatt lies, have been evacuated. There has also been torrential rain in the lower-lying foothills.
A spokesman for the Zermatt tourist office said: ‘There is nothing to panic about, everything is fine.’ Above Zermatt, however, the authorities have closed ski slopes, hiking trails, and cable cars to prevent skiers triggering an avalanche.
Chef Marian Podola, 35, from Wandsworth in South London, who is on holiday with friends, said: ‘Yes, we are stranded but it’s seems pretty good to us. There’s a lovely atmosphere in the village and the pubs and restaurants are open.
‘There’s plenty to do. We went on a tour of the Matterhorn Brewery today.’
Dan Frith, from Sheffield, who owns chalet agency SkiBoutique, said: ‘Hopefully the situation will change by the weekend and the train will be running at least.
‘The avalanche risk is at the highest level so the mountain is completely closed. Very rarely does this happen.’