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The highest part of a condominium in Leukerbad was destroyed on 25 February 1999 by the pressure of a huge avalanche of dust. Image: KEYSTONE
Let's compare the chaos of the snow with the avalanche winter of 1999 – and remember it
The current chaos of the snow recalls the winter of the century twenty-five years ago. watson compared the focal points of 1999 and 2019 – and publishers remember the huge amounts of snow at the time.
Disentis is cut off from the outside world, in Obertoggenburg children do not go to school and Hotel Säntis in Schwägalp is hit by an avalanche: in winter it has full control of Switzerland.
However, the situation is not as serious as in the 1999 avalanche winter. At that time there were numerous avalanche accidents with many deaths, especially in February. "In comparison, at the moment the situation is much less tense," says Frank Techel of the Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF), which publishes a bulletin updated twice a day. At that time the situation had become more acute, when a period of three days of uninterrupted snowfall had further increased the already proud snowpack and making it so unstable.
Depth of snow compared to long-term average
Picture: screenshot slf.ch
The person responsible for these rainy weather conditions, the so-called northern dike, was actually present. But while the Swiss Alps were among the freshest snow areas of 1999, the areas of Bavaria and Austria are much more affected this year. "In some regions of Eastern Switzerland and Graubünden there is an amount of snow that is above average for this period of the year and occasionally even record values are measured," says Teichel. On the other hand, in central Switzerland, in the Bernese Oberland and in the Valais, the situation is not exceptional.
But the winter of 2019 is all but finished. If it gets snowy like 20 years ago, it can only be completed in April. Until then, we have already summarized some comparative values:
Snow depth comparison 1999 and 2019
The huge amount of snow in 1999 caused numerous avalanches in many places. How many avalanches have fallen at that time is not known. According to studies, but it should have been several thousand. On the other hand, the number of avalanches that cause damage is known: 1550 were alone in Switzerland. They caused material damage of 600 million francs. The traffic roads have been cut, the buildings damaged and a total of 36 people killed.
These villages were hit by avalanches in 1999:
Touch the marked points to learn more.
More images from the avalanche winter 1999
Even today many villages are fighting against the huge masses of snow:
These locations are currently affected by avalanches:
Touch the marked points to learn more.
Avalanche is installed in Schwägalp
This is how the watsons remember the winter of 1999
We wanted 1999 in the skiing holidays on Belalp in the Valais. But just before that, several avalanches descended into the valley. So we had to get out of the postbus for the outward journey and climb over the avalanche field (with these GPS-Find-Find-things). Since then I have not been the same.
Jodok Meier
All I can really remember is one thing: the huge snowdrifts created by the plow on the left and right of our road. At that time we lived in Ar *** the world, where there was no sun for three months in the winter because of the mountains. Only a small road passed (about 700 meters above sea level). Over time, the snowmads on the left and right of the road have safely accumulated for two or three meters in height. It was almost like running through a tunnel of snow. That's how I felt like a small child. It was fantastic
Pascal Scherrer
No, it's not one of us. But an enthusiastic pupil on the hill above Sion (VS). Image: KEYSTONE
At that time I was stuck with my family somewhere in the Grisons in a village whose name I do not remember anymore, in a hotel. The road was closed, the train was no longer driving, there were no more fresh fruits and vegetables in the hotel. Because we could not do anything except every day (we felt included for 127 days, in reality it was more likely that 4) take the same little walk through the village, my parents organized an open choir in the afternoon at the church. After all, my mother did not conduct the church choir in vain at home, and my father directed the male choir. He looked nice. I do not want to say more about it.
Simone Meier
It was felt last winter, when there was a lot of snow even in the plains. It took a long time before the melting of the partially huge snow melted. I also remember that the Gotthard motorway had to be closed due to the danger of avalanches. The railway link through the old Gotthard route remained open. I managed to get an idea of myself when I went to Leventina for an interview with Emilio Juri, then the late president of HC Ambri-Piotta. The view of the avalanches from the train window, which had fallen from the highway into the valley of Uri Reuss, was really blatant.
Peter Blunschi
Incidentally, this was the way he looked at the WEF in Davos in 1999, when UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan visited Switzerland. image: keystone
And you? How do you remember the Lawinwinter 1999? ⬇⬇
These images show that in Switzerland there is snow in winter
Only briefly remove the windscreen from the snow ….
Video: srf
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