Several hurt in two separate train derailments in Switzerland
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The incidents took place about 30 kilometers apart, north of the Swiss capital Bern, and rescue operations are still ongoing.
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A derailed regional train near the town of Luscherz, northwest of the capital Bern (AFP)
Several people have been injured, at least one seriously, in two separate train derailments on Friday in bad weather in northwestern Switzerland, police said.
The incidents took place about 30 kilometers apart, north of the Swiss capital Bern, and rescue operations are still ongoing.
The first incident happened in the lakeside village of Luscherz, northwest of the capital Bern, at around 4:30 pm (1430 GMT), police said. The train was traveling between Luscherz and Bienne.
"A train derailed. The rear part of the train fell on the right side," a Bern cantonal police spokesperson told AFP.
"There are several injured," she said, without being able to give more details on the condition of those involved.
"Rescue interventions -- police, ambulance and firefighters -- are still in progress," the police spokesperson added.
Police do not yet know why the cause of the train derailment.
Regional rail operator Aare Seeland Mobil said services were canceled on the line due to "a derailment caused by a storm," with the duration of the disruption "unknown".
'One seriously injured'
The second incident took place around 20 minutes later in the village of Buren zum Hof.
The RBS regional rail operator said some services had been suspended "as a result of the storm."
A spokesperson said the accident could have been due to the high winds, but "it's not clear."
Bern police tweeted that in Buren zum Hof, "there is currently an operation due to a derailed RBS train. There are several injured, including at least one seriously injured person."
The MeteoSwiss national weather service said that gusts of more than 90 kilometers (55 miles) per hour had been recorded in Switzerland on Friday.
"This wet and windy situation is associated with the Mathis depression circulating over northern Europe," it said, generating "stormy winds over part of Europe, including Switzerland.
"The strongest gusts are generally associated with showers and thunderstorms."
