Rescuers find one dead person, two still missing in Switzerland floods

Rescuers in Switzerland have found the body of one of three people who had gone missing on Saturday after massive thunderstorms and rainfall in the southeast of the country caused a rockslide, Swiss authorities say. The other two are still missing.

One woman was pulled out alive from the rubble earlier on Saturday morning.

Today is a sad day, said Ignazio Cassis, member of the Swiss Federal Council, who addressed reporters Sunday after travelling to the region to show solidarity with the victims on behalf of the Swiss Federal Government.

A team of 200 rescuers has been searching for the missing people since Saturday with excavators, specially-trained search dogs, drones and army helicopters. But the likelihood of finding them alive is low, William Kloter from the Swiss police, who is heading the rescue operations, told reporters Sunday.

Search operations had to be halted during the night due to heavy rain.

The rockslide hit a group of three houses in the municipality of Lostallo in the Alpine valley of Misox in Graubnden.

Swiss authorities also said that a segment of the Swiss motorway A13 leading towards Italy had been completely submerged and destroyed by flooding. The major transit route between the key San Bernardino Pass and Roveredo in Graubnden will likely remain closed for several months.