Media release WSL,
14.03.2013
Moderate damage, but five deaths in severe weather events 2012
|
|
The tracks of the Gotthard railway line in
Gurtnellen (Canton Uri) were buried on several occasions during 2012 (click for large version).
Photo: Marc Hauser, SBB
|
|
|
|
|
Photo: Marc Hauser, SBB
The tracks of the Gotthard railway line in
Gurtnellen (Canton Uri) were buried on several occasions during 2012 (click for large version).
|
|
|
|
|
Location and magnitude of significant losses in
2012. The symbols also indicate the type of process (map courtesy of BFS
GEOSTAT / Federal Office of Topography; click for large version).
Artwork: WSL
|
|
|
|
|
Change in total annual losses arising from
natural events from 1972 to 2012 (adjusted for inflation, basis 2011; click for large version).
Chart: WSL
|
|
|
|
Portions of total costs
attributable to individual causes of damage in 2012. (click for large version).
Chart: WSL
|
|
|
|
Portions of total costs
attributable to individual damage processes in 2012. (click for lartge version).
Chart: WSL
|
|
|
Copyright Notice
The
Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL provides the artwork for imaging
of press articles relating to this media release for free. Transferring
and saving the images in image databases and saving of images by third
parties is not allowed.
|
Landslides,
debris flows, floods and rockfalls gave rise to property damage in Switzerland
of almost 40 million Swiss Francs in 2012 – much less than the long-term
average figure for the period 1972-2011. The greatest losses were caused by
floods and debris flows and the three
rockfall events that buried the railway line in Gurtnellen (Canton Uri). Each of the five deaths in 2012 is attributable to rockfall. These findings are revealed by an analysis of
the national storm damage database that is maintained by the Swiss Federal
Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL.
Floods and debris flows, which gave rise to estimated losses of 28
million Francs, were the most costly storm damage events in 2012. The largest
portion of these costs is attributable to the floods in the second half of the
year. The relatively high proportion of losses (estimated at 10 million Francs)
compared with other years, due to rockfall
events, is primarily attributable to the events in Gurtnellen (Canton Uri).
Rock and soil masses buried the tracks of the Gotthard railway line on several
occasions during the year (on March 7, June 5 and November 14). The event in
June, which occurred while slope stabilisation works were being performed
there, resulted in the death of one construction worker and serious injuries to
two others. An event in the same district in 2006 had caused losses on a
similar scale when several rocks crashed onto the autobahn and buried two
people.
Gurtnellen was not the only place to be affected rockfall events in
2012. On May 15 a massive rockfall in Preonzo (Canton Ticino) caused relatively
little damage, measured against its size. In Tschlin (Canton Grisons), rocks
buried a coach (not carrying any passengers) and a car on March 30.
Regrettably, the accident cost the coach driver his life. And three people were
killed by rockfalls in St Gingolph (Valais) and below the Säntis (Hundwil in Canton
Appenzell Ausserrhoden). "Although this figure is higher than the annual
average number of deaths arising from rockfall, which we have been recording
since 2002, it does not indicate a trend. The elevated total simply reflects
the occurrence of several natural events with tragic consequences,"
comments Norina Andres of the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL.
Basements and roads flooded by precipitation
Around 40% of all property damage arising in 2012 was triggered by heavy
thunderstorms. On July 28, for example, torrential rainfall flooded basements
and roads in Frenkendorf, Füllinsdorf and Giebenach (Canton Basel-Landschaft).
Strong thunder showers damaged more than 100 buildings in Bomatt and Zollbrück
(Canton Bern) on August 20. Around 30% of the total losses were prompted by
continuous rain. On October 9 and 10, for instance, flooding in Cantons Aargau,
Basel-Landschaft, Lucerne, Schwyz and Zurich inundated hundreds of basements
and numerous roads. On November 10, large quantities of rain fell in Canton
Waadt in particular and caused property damage in the amount of more than four
million Francs.
With
regards to property damage, in the amount of around 40 million Francs, 2012 can
be considered a low-loss year; the long-term average (1972-2011), adjusted for
inflation, stands at about 329 million Swiss Francs. The events in 2012 gave
rise to just one-eightieth of the losses incurred in 2005, when the Bernese
Oberland, Central Switzerland and Prättigau were affected by serious flooding.
Original article
Andres, N., Badoux, A., Hegg, C. (2013): Unwetterschäden in der Schweiz im
Jahre 2012. Rutschungen, Murgänge, Hochwasser und Sturzereignisse. Wasser
Energie Luft, 105. Jg., Heft 1: 55-61. (PDF, 1.1 MB)
|
The Swiss Federal Research
Institute WSL has been systematically recording storm damage data since 1972.
Created in collaboration with the National Environmental Agency (BAFU), the
database contains information on the losses caused by flooding, debris flows
and landslides and, since 2002, rockfalls. The analyses disregard losses
arising from avalanches, snow pressure, earthquakes, lightning strikes, hail
and storm force winds. Deaths occurring in connection with high-risk sports
(such as canyoning) are likewise omitted from the database. The losses are
estimated primarily on the basis of media reports. The data are made available
to experts on request and play a fundamental role in risk assessment.
|
Further information
Contacts
-
Dr. Christoph Hegg,
Deputy Director of WSL
