A violent thunderstorm accompanied by hail caused extensive damage to the open-air miniature museum in southern Switzerland. Since Wednesday morning, the Swissminiatur team in Melide in canton Ticino has been busy repairing the "serious damage sustained" during a storm on Tuesday night, according to a press release sent to the media. A total of 129 models of Switzerland's most famous buildings, monuments and transport are on display on a 1:25 scale at the venue. Some of the models in the popular miniature museum were only inaugurated this year. Among the miniature models that were badly damaged in the storm include the Piazza Grande in Locarno and Sion railway station. Despite the damage, the open-air museum remains open to the public, stated the press release. "We hope that visitors will show some understanding," the management added. Hail the size of ping-pong balls also ruined the crops of market gardeners in the Sottoceneri. Such a violent storm had not swept through the...
