Breaking News: Possible Tornado Hits La Chaux-de-Fonds, Causing Significant Damage To The Area
A massive storm ripped through the Neuchâtel Mountains on Monday, July 24, 2023, leaving massive damage in its wake in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The storm, which hit the region at 11:30 am local time, resulted in the fatality of a construction worker as a crane fell in the winds which exceeded 135 mph.
According to police sources, police and over 80 firefighters responded to calls for what was deemed a “probable tornado” by the local weather service, with massive damage to homes and what is now reported as at least 40 injuries. That damage also had a major impact on the Sellita movement factory and its team.
“The entire roof of a neighboring company detached and hit our three buildings,” said Dr. Sébastien Chaulmontet, Sellita’s Head of Innovation and Marketing. “Unfortunately, one person was in the building at the time and was quite severely injured. They are in the hospital right now but are doing okay.”
A car is destroyed next to one of Sellita’s damaged buildings after a violent storm hit the area in Le Cret-du-Locle near La Chaux-de-Fonds, western Switzerland on July 24, 2023. According to local media one person was killed when a crane fell. (Photo by Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images)
Photos of the Sellita facilities show major damage to the exterior and broken windows, requiring a concerted repair effort.
“We are cleaning up right now and are confident we can reopen after the holidays on August 14th,” says Chaulmontet. “Of course, the reconstruction itself (especially the outside of the buildings) will take much longer, but we will do all possible to reopen as soon as possible. As you know, Sellita is pivotal for a large part of the industry, and we do all possible to deserve the trust placed in us and serve our clients, even in very difficult times.”
Local reports and videos show that the storm seemingly came out of nowhere, surprising residents with its force. Videos from a distance show how large and fast-moving the storm was. Meanwhile, videos taken within the storm show the terrifying destruction. Cars were overturned and destroyed, large overhead powerlines were downed across roads and homes, roofs were ripped off residences, and destruction of forested areas was reported.
This aerial photograph taken on July 24, 2023, shows a view of a house whose roof has been blown off after a violent storm hit the area in Le Cret-du-Locle near La Chaux-de-Fonds, western Switzerland. (Photo by Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, nearby manufacturers like La Joux-Perret – only 500m from Sellita – remained relatively unscathed. According to Bertrand Savary, President of Arnold & Son, and Angelus, the board of La Joux-Perret (the brands’ parent company) was quickly convened yesterday to assess the damage. Luckily the company, like most in Switzerland, is on summer holiday, leaving the manufacture empty. According to Savary, the indications are that the tornado was over 250 feet wide and was unlike anything the area had experienced in nearly 100 years.
“From our team, everybody is safe,” Savary said in an interview with Hodinkee. “The CFO visited the factory, and there was just some minor water damage and damage to the roof, but nothing major. But we are very lucky, being only 500 meters from Sellita, which had it much worse. In fact, it’s lucky the industry was on holiday, or there would have been about 10,000 more people in La Chaux-de-Fond. Injuries certainly would have been much more severe.”
Such storms are so rare in Switzerland, Savary tells Hodinkee, he’s unsure how quickly repairs to buildings and factories can be done.
Savary said the region experiences yearly storms but generally only deals with hail that causes damage to cars and property. The last storm of this magnitude was in 1926, by his understanding. According to information he’s gotten, out of around 7,000 habitations in La Chaux-de-Fonds, over 5,000 have some damage.
In an interview with local BFMTV, resident Alan Marmy called the storm “total chaos,” leaving no time for any resident to react or prepare. “There was no alert, neither on smartphones nor a sound alert in town; no alert,” he told the station.
The response from Jean-Daniel Jeanneret, president of the city’s municipal council, given to BFMTV, was that due to the exceptional nature of the event, “it was not possible to take protective measures; the thing was unimaginable and still is now.”
When asked about the possible impact on the movement supply chain – considering the widespread use of Sellita movements, estimated by industry sources at well over a million movements a year – Chaulmontet admits that the damage to their facility comes at a difficult time.
The office of Miguel García, the CEO and owner of Sellita, after the storm Monday. Photo courtesy of Sellita.
“The year has been tense as the industry has been overheating recently,” he says. “But we hope and believe that it will not impact deliveries. Fortunately, the logistics and parts departments have not been impacted. That’s key. The assembly lines have been impacted though but shall be repaired by August 14th.”
As of last night, a hotline to report damage was opened, and the police have asked the population to avoid going to La Chaux-de-Fonds, which remains difficult to reach. It may take some time, according to local officials, to repair infrastructure and make the area safer to reach, and rail traffic could continue to be interrupted at La Chaux-de-Fonds station for some time.
Calls to a number of other watch manufacturers in the region (including Breitling and Cartier) were not returned – likely due to the holiday – and TAG Heuer had no comment at this time about any potential damage. Still, we will update this story if more information becomes available.
Hodinkee
