Three people were missing on Saturday after massive thunderstorms and rainfall in southeastern Switzerland caused a landslide, authorities have said.

One woman was pulled out alive after being buried by the landslide in the Alpine valley of Misox in Graubunden.

A rescue operation for the three others is ongoing.

An excavator removes stones from the bed of the Navizence River, which flows into the Rhone, in Chippis, canton Valais, Switzerland
An excavator removes stones from the bed of the Navizence River, which flows into the Rhone, in Chippis, canton Valais, Switzerland (Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP)

The rockslide hit a group of houses in the municipality of Lostallo.

Rescuers have been searching all day Saturday with excavators and specially trained search dogs.

William Kloter, from the Swiss police, who is heading the rescue operations, told local media that he was hoping to find the three missing people alive.

Swiss President Viola Amherd said she was shocked by the scale of the damage caused by the severe weather.

“My thoughts are with those affected. I thank the emergency personnel for their tireless efforts in this difficult situation,” Ms Amherd said on X.

Elsewhere in Switzerland, the popular tourist destination of Zermatt in the southern canton of Valais near the famous Matterhorn mountain remains inaccessible.

Heavy rains and melting snow have caused the Mattervispa River to overflow, cutting off the village.

A car stuck in the mud at Sorte village after a landslide caused by the bad weather and heavy rain in the Misox valley, in Lostallo, southern Switzerland
A car stuck in the mud at Sorte village after a landslide caused by the bad weather and heavy rain in the Misox valley, in Lostallo, southern Switzerland (Samuel Golay/Keystone via AP)

Dramatic videos showed the otherwise small river that flows through Zermatt turning into a muddy flash flood, partially submerging streets in the popular ski resort.

The Matterhorn-Gotthard Railway halted operations with no alternative transportation available, the railway company announced on social media on Saturday morning.

Emergency services in the canton of Valais were on high alert over the levels of the Rhone River, which reached its peak on Saturday.

Authorities have warned residents to avoid lower parts of their houses, including cellars, and keep away from swelling rivers and refrain from parking on bridges.

People were also advised against filming or photographing the floods due to safety reasons.