Mobile Flood Protection for Werdenberg

Heavy rainfall has repeatedly led to flooding and inundation in the Werdenberg region in recent years. Such was the case in the summer of 2019 when a storm caused significant damage in Buchs and Grabs.

Now, the FWWS is acquiring a mobile flood protection system, which is stored in a transport container and can thus be flexibly deployed. The modern system consists of multiple modules that can be assembled into a dam up to 400 metres long in a very short time and adapted to local conditions. The container is available for use by the FWWS as well as other fire departments and civil protection institutions in the region and adjacent Liechtenstein.

Important Addition to Existing Protective Measures 'Thanks to the mobile system, we can now respond to flood situations even more quickly and precisely. The container allows flexible and efficient defence against imminent floods,' says Thomas Sturzenegger, commander of the FWWS. He, along with Buchs city president Rolf Pfeiffer, accepted the donation from Mobiliar on Wednesday. 'The new flood protection system is an important addition to our existing measures and increases the safety of our region. We are grateful to Mobiliar for this gift,' stated the city president.

Damage Prevention: Everyone Benefits Mobiliar has provided two dozen such mobile flood protection systems throughout Switzerland. The choice of locations is deliberate. 'The Mobiliar Lab for Natural Risks at the University of Bern has identified Switzerland's flood hotspots, including the region in and around Buchs,' says general agent Patrick Cantieni from Mobiliar Buchs-Sargans. 'With our commitment, we aim to proactively prevent or reduce damage. The population and the public sector benefit equally as do the insurers.'

With prevention projects, Mobiliar contributes to the protection against natural hazards in all regions of the country. Since the major flood of 2005, Mobiliar has supported around 180 flood protection projects throughout Switzerland – with over 46 million francs. In the Werdenberg region, among other projects, it has co-financed flood protection at the Giessen in Buchs and the Thur in Wildhaus and Alt St. Johann.

Media Contact:
Swiss Mobiliar Insurance Company
Robin Locher
Corporate Communications Editor
031 389 88 44
media@mobiliar.ch