The Great St Bernard Tunnel continues to be closed with no reopening date in sight. The tunnel was damaged by an avalanche last Thursday near the Toules tunnel on the Swiss side, which
brought down rocks and trees and affected about 300 meters of the structure.
The tunnel management company told Keystone-ATS on Tuesday that no timeline has been set for reopening. With the mountain pass also closed, there is currently no way to travel to Italy via Bourg-Saint-Pierre.
Restrictions still in place for pedestrians
Around fifteen cantonal roads in the Upper and Central Valais remain closed. Alternative routes have been arranged for most of them. However, landslides are affecting two particular stretches: between Stalden and Embd, and between Vercorin and Itravers. The road from Ayer to Zinal is also shut due to avalanche risks.
Post-snowfall recovery underway
After the severe weather, the situation in Switzerland is gradually improving. Snow has stopped falling in the southern canton of Valais, but many roads are still blocked. Clean-up and safety operations are ongoing, especially in the Plaine du Rhône area.
In Sion, public parks are reopening gradually, though the Domaine des Iles will remain closed until Friday evening. Access to Montorge and the banks of the Borgne is still restricted, likely until the end of the week, according to local authorities.
In Sierre, pedestrian access is limited in many areas due to the risk of falling branches. As in Sion, residents are urged to respect safety barriers. Photo by Adrian Michael, Wikimedia commons.