The population can enter Brienz/Brinzauls again from Saturday
Keystone-SDA
The evacuated residents of Brienz/Brinzauls in eastern Switzerland will be allowed to enter the village, which was threatened by a landslide, again during the day from Saturday. An additional restricted area has been set up to the north of the village.
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On Saturdays and Sundays, access is possible from 9am to 5pm via a checkpoint, as stated in the municipality’s information bulletin on Friday. There are also plans to allow access on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays during the winter months, if the situation allows.
A safety perimeter has been marked in the area to the north of the village. This may not be entered under any circumstances. There is a risk of falling blocks and splintering stones.
The lower part of the rubble pile created by the demolition at the end of November has come to a standstill. In the upper section, speeds are still decreasing.
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How things will continue for the people of Brienz/Brinzauls in the longer term is unclear. The conditions on the mountain are to be reassessed by the end of January. It will then be possible to say whether it will be possible to lift the evacuation.
Meanwhile, canton Graubünden has promised further help. On Tuesday, the cantonal parliament approved a loan of CHF50 million ($63 million) for the preventive resettlement of the village of Brienz/Brinzauls, which is threatened by rock masses. This will compensate those residents who want to move away permanently.
Adapted from German by AI/ts
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