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This list of Swiss disasters by death toll includes major disasters (excluding acts of war) that occurred on Swiss soil or involved Swiss citizens, in a definable incident.
Fatalities | Year | Article | Type | Location | Comments | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
24,449 | 1918-1919 | Spanish flu | Pandemic | Switzerland | [1] | |
11,039 | 2020-2022 | COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland | Pandemic | Switzerland | ||
2,000 | 1356 | 1356 Basel earthquake | Earthquake | Basel-Stadt | [2] | |
1,000 | 2003 | 2003 European heatwave | Heatwave | Switzerland | [2] | |
953 | 1806 | 1806 Schwyz earthquake and tsunami | Earthquake and tsunami | Goldau and Lake Lauerz, Schwyz | [2] | |
542 | 2023 | 2023 Summer Heat Wave | Heat Wave related Deaths | Switzerland | ||
500 | 1515 | Biasca flood | Flash flood | Biasca, Ticino | [2] | |
457 | 1806 | Goldau Landslide | Landslide | Arth-Goldau, Schwyz | ||
400 | 1798 | Days of terror in Nidwalden | French Invasion of Switzerland | Nidwalden, Switzerland | ||
320 | 1584 | 1584 Aigle earthquake | Earthquake and tsunami | Aigle, Vaud | [2] |
Fatalities | Year | Article | Type | Location | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
140 | 1595 | Bagnes flash flood | Flash flood | Bagnes, Valais | [2] |
115 | 1881 | Rockslide of Elm | Rockslide | Elm, Glarus | |
113 (Swiss) | 2004 | 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami | 113 Swiss citizens lost their life in the catastrophe. | Southeast asia | |
108 | 1973 | Invicta International Airlines Flight 435 | Plane crash | Hochwald, Solothurn |
Fatalities | Year | Article | Type | Location | Comments | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
98 | 1951 | Winter of Terror | Avalanche season | Switzerland | [2] | |
84 | 1940-1945 | Bombardments of Switzerland during WW2 | Areal Accidents and Bombardments of Switzerland during the Second World War | Different Areas in Switzerland. Mainly Schaffhausen, Zürich and Basel. | ||
80 | 1963 | Swissair Flight 306 | Plane crash | Dürrenäsch, Aargau | ||
76 | 1748 | 1748 Aargau floods | Floods | Aargau | [2] | |
73 | 1891 | Münchenstein rail disaster | Rail disaster | Münchenstein, Basel-Landschaft | ||
66 | 1808 | 1808 Avalanche winter | Avalanche season | Canton of Bern, Grisons | [2] | |
63 | 1778 | Küsnacht flood | Flood | Küsnacht, Zürich | [2] | |
51 | 1868 | 1868 flood | Flood | Switzerland | [3] | |
50-90 | 1720 | 1720 Obergesteln avalanche | Avalanche | Obergesteln, Valais | [2] | |
49 | 1888 | 1888 Avalanche winter | Avalanche season | Switzerland | ||
48 (Swiss) | 1998 | Swissair Flight 111 | Plane crash | Offshore of Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada | ||
48 | 1994 | Sonnentempler Mass Suicide | Two Mass Suicides in two Villages | Cheiry, Fribourg and Granges-sur-Salvan, Valais | ||
47 | 1970 | Swissair Flight 330 | Plane crash | Würenlingen, Aargau | ||
46 | 1990 | Alitalia Flight 404 | Plane crash | Weiach, Zürich | ||
45 | 1971 | Balkan Bulgarian Airlines Flight 130 | Plane crash | Zurich Airport, Zürich | ||
39 | 1982 | Pfäffikon level crossing accident | Level crossing accident | Pfäffikon, Zürich | ||
36 (Swiss) | 1997 | Luxor massacre | 62 People killed in total. 36 of them where Swiss tourists. | Luxor, Egypt | ||
30 | 1970 | 1970 Reckingen avalanche | Avalanche | Reckingen-Gluringen, Valais | [4] | |
29 | 1999 | Storm Lothar | 14 direct fatalities and 15 indirect. | Different Locations mainly in the Swiss Plateau | ||
28 | 2012 | Sierre coach crash | Bus crash | Sierre Tunnel, Valais | ||
28 | 1971 | Burghölzli Psychiatric Hospitale fire | Structure fire | Zürich, Switzerland | ||
24 | 2001 | Crossair Flight 3597 | Plane crash | Bassersdorf, Zürich | ||
23 | 1871 | Train collision at Colombier Station | Train collision | Colombier, Neuchâtel | ||
23 | 1956 | ČSA Flight 548 | Plane crash | Eglisau, Zürich | ||
21 | 1948 | 1948 Wädenswil train crash | Train derailment | Wädenswil, Zürich | ||
21 | 1999 | Wilderswil Canyoning Disaster | 21 People die in a flashflood while canyoning in the Saxetbach. | Wilderswil, Canton of Bern | ||
20 | 2018 | 2018 Ju-Air Junkers Ju 52 crash | Plane crash | Piz Segnas, Glarus | ||
19 | 1951 | 1951 Vals avalanche | Avalanche | Vals, Graubünden | [4] | |
18 | 2024 | 2024 Switzerland floods | Floods | Switzerland | ||
17 | 1770 | Praettigau rockfall | Rockfall | Prättigau, Grisons | [2] | |
16 | 2000 | 2000 Valais flood | Flood | Valais (especially Zwischbergen) | [2] | |
16 | 1961 | Hergiswil Bus Accident | Bus Accident | Hergiswil, Nidwalden | ||
15 | 1924 | 1924 Bellinzona train collision | Train collision | Bellinzona, Ticino | ||
15 | 2001 | Zug Parliament Mass Shooting | Mass shooting | Zug, Switzerland | ||
14 | 1891 | Zollikofen station train collision | Train collision | Zollikofen, Bern | ||
13 | 1932 | Geneva Shooting | The Swiss Army opened fire at Protesters. | Geneva, Switzerland | ||
13 | 1935 | 1935 San Giacomo Douglas DC-2 crash | Plane crash | Mesocco, Graubünden | ||
13 | 1968 | 1968 Saint-Léonard train collision | Train collision | Saint-Léonard, Valais | ||
13 | 1972 | Bettmeralp cable car crash | Cable car crash | Bettmeralp, Valais | ||
13 | 1938 | Piz Cengalo Lufthansa crash | Plane crash | Piz Cengalo, Graubünden | [5] | |
12 | 1941 | Hamberger Firework Factory explosion | Work related accident kills 12 Factory Workers | Oberried am Brienzersee, Canton of Bern | ||
12 | 1999 | Evolène avalanche | Avalanche | Evolène, Valais | ||
12 | 1985 | Uster indoor swimming pool roof collapse | The roof collapsed trapping 12 Visitors in the pool which caused them to drown. | Uster, Zurich | ||
12 | 2005 | Orsières Bus Accident | Traffic accident | Orsières, Valais | ||
11 | 2001 | Gotthard Road Tunnel disaster | Tunnel fire | Uri/Ticino | ||
11 | 1887 | 1887 Zug slide | Slide | Zug, Zug | [2] | |
11 | 1985 | 1985 Täsch-Zermatt avalanche | Avalanche | Täsch, Valais | [4] | |
11 | 1941 | 1941 Wichtrach train collision | Train collision | Wichtrach, Bern | ||
11 | 1942 | 1942 Tüscherz train collision | Train collision | Tüscherz-Alfermée, Bern | ||
11 | 1945 | 1945 Andermatt avalanche | Avalanche | Andermatt, Uri | [4] | |
11 | 1970 | Bavaria Fluggesellschaft Jetstream crash | Plane crash | Bever, Graubünden | [6] | |
10 | 1951 | Vallascia avalanche | Avalanche | Airolo, Ticino | [4] | |
10 | 1961 | 1961 Vaz/Obervaz avalanche | Avalanche | Vaz/Obervaz, Graubünden | [4] | |
10 | 1947 | 1947 Einsiedeln train collision | Train collision | Einsiedeln, Schwyz | ||
10 | 1959 | Hamberger Firework Factory explosion | It has been the second fatal Accident in this Factory. | Oberried am Brienzersee, Canton of Bern | ||
10 | 1917 | Rhaetian Railway avalanche accident | Avalanche | Davos, Graubünden | ||
10 | 2018 | Storm in the Alps | A Storm kills ten ski tourers and mountaineers in several Locations. | Valais, Canton of Bern | ||
10 | 2000 | Crossair Flight 498 | Plane crash | Niederhasli, Zürich |