ZERMATT, SWITZERLAND / TIGNES, FRANCE — April 18, 2025 — Severe weather swept across the Alps on Thursday, bringing heavy snow and torrential rain that isolated mountain resorts, knocked out power, and triggered widespread travel disruption in Switzerland, France, and Italy.
The renowned Swiss ski resort of Zermatt was completely cut off, with all road and rail access blocked. In the French resort of Tignes, more than a metre of snow blanketed the town, prompting local authorities to order residents and tourists to stay indoors due to a heightened risk of avalanches.
“We had to make a decision to protect people,” said Tignes Mayor Serge Revial, citing avalanche threats as the main reason for the lockdown. The sudden snowfall, while not unheard of in April, overwhelmed infrastructure and caused extensive outages.
In the Savoie region of eastern France, thousands of homes were left without electricity. Travel was further hindered as the Aravis Pass and other mountain routes became impassable. French authorities issued multiple avalanche warnings and advised Easter holiday travellers to postpone trips until at least Saturday.
Across the border in Switzerland, the heavy snow forced the closure of the Simplon Pass into Italy and the Great St Bernard Tunnel.
In the cantons of Valais and Bernese Oberland, thousands of skiers and holidaymakers were affected. Zermatt, nestled in the southern canton of Valais, experienced a near-total blackout throughout Thursday, and mobile phone networks were severely disrupted.
Local media reported long queues outside the only supermarket that remained open in Zermatt, as supplies began to dwindle. The Swiss emergency alert system, Alertswiss, issued warnings for avalanche risks, falling trees, and widespread transport chaos in Valais. Schools in the regional capital, Sion, were shut for the day.
Meanwhile, in north-west Italy, the worst impacts came not from snow but from relentless rain. In the Aosta Valley, 37 out of 74 municipalities experienced power outages. A bridge collapsed in the Piedmont town of Biella due to the pressure of flooding.
Tragedy struck in Monteu da Po near Turin, where a 92-year-old man was believed to have drowned after his home was inundated. Rivers, including the mighty Po, overflowed in several areas, sending torrents of water cascading through hillside villages.
“It’s been raining non-stop for days, very, very hard, although it’s stopped now,” one resident told local media. Authorities issued red alerts for several valleys, and hydrologists warned that the Po River was expected to reach peak levels within 24 hours. In some areas, more than 20 centimetres of rain fell in just 36 hours.
With travel routes blocked, emergency services stretched thin, and forecasts predicting further instability, officials in all three countries urged extreme caution and warned travellers to delay their Easter plans.
As the Alps brace for continued weather challenges, local communities are rallying to support stranded tourists and residents, while cleanup and restoration efforts remain on hold until conditions stabilize.
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