On Wednesday evening, masses of snow started to fall in the alps. So far, four people have died, and numerous stations in France are in lockdown.
Up to one meter of snow settled in Valais, Switzerland, in the short span of an hour. As a result, certain locations experienced landslides, fallen trees, several roads, train lines, and two passes have had to close. Electricity also cut off in selected locations.
The Luxembourger Malou Ballini got locked in by the snow as well. On Wednesday morning, it started raining in Saint Jean, Switzerland.
“At approximately 4pm, the rain turned into sleet and then snow”, she explains. “When we woke up the next day, there was already 50cm of snow. It continued snowing the whole day, and the height rose to a maximum of 85cm”, Malou Ballini reported.
Although heavy rain had been forecast, no one expected such extensive snowfall. “We had already bought provisions a week ago, so we did not have to prepare anything else”, explains the Luxembourgish tourist. The biggest issue was the electricity cut-off.
“Twice in six hours, we were left without electricity. We have a chimney that kept us warm, so it wasn’t too bad.”
The solidarity in their building was overwhelming. “Together we shovelled the snow from the pathway and we dug out our cars from beneath the snow.”
The roads of Saint Jean are not entirely free from the snow yet, but the municipality is working on it.
“At the moment, the roads aren’t clear yet, but the cleaning is advancing well. I think they will reopen in the afternoon”, adds Malou Ballini.
Despite this unusual situation, there was no reason to worry. The authorities kept them continuously informed: “We were savouring the quiet while waiting for electricity to turn back on.”
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Four killed after spring storms wreak havoc in the Alps
