Swiss city inundated in sudden storm as shops flooded

GENEVA – A sudden storm swept through the Swiss city of Lausanne and nearby areas overnight, popping manhole covers, sending water knee-deep into streets and shops and cascading down escalators and stairs at the train station.

Meteorologist Lionel Peyraud of weather service Meteo Suisse says 4.1 centimeters (1.6 inches) fell in 10 minutes at one point, a new Swiss record for precipitation tallied at any measuring station over such a short span.

Peyraud attributed the downpour overnight Tuesday to a mass of humid, unstable air rising from the Mediterranean and a recent depression over Spain.

Spokesman Michel Gandillon of Lausanne's rescue and safety squad said residents made 2,000 calls seeking help for issues like fallen trees, clogged streets and inundated stores. No injuries were reported.