Beyza Binnur Donmez
17 July 2026•Update: 17 July 2026
Severe thunderstorms caused flooding and disruptions across parts of Switzerland on Thursday night, with severe weather expected to continue Friday, authorities said.
According to Swissinfo, citing Keystone-SDA, firefighters in the canton of Zurich responded to 268 incidents, most involving flooded buildings and fallen trees.
Swiss public broadcaster SRF Meteo recorded more than 26,000 lightning strikes by 11 p.m. (2100 GMT) as torrential rain swept across several regions.
The northern city of Winterthur received the heaviest rainfall, with around one-third of its average July precipitation falling in a single evening, the report said.
In western Switzerland, the Montreux Jazz Festival temporarily closed and evacuated its famous lakeside stages and temporary structures shortly after 8 p.m. (1800 GMT) as a precaution due to the storm. Organizers lifted the safety alert at 9:23 p.m. (1923 GMT) and delayed performances were successfully resumed.
Heavy hail also swept across several areas, stretching from central Switzerland to Winterthur.
MeteoSwiss issued a Level 3 thunderstorm warning for parts of central Switzerland, including the Entlebuch region, warning of lightning, flash flooding, landslides on steep slopes, hail, and falling branches or isolated trees.
The weather agency advised the public to avoid exposed areas such as mountain ridges, open terrain and bodies of water and to secure loose outdoor objects, and remain alert for rapidly changing weather conditions.
