Severe Storms Challenged Fire Departments in Upper Austria and Salzburg
Heavy rain hit Upper Austria on Sunday evening and into the night on Monday. 50 fire brigades with 900 personnel were involved in 180 operations. Especially in the area around Oberwang and Unterach am Attersee (Vöcklabruck district) as well as Engerwitzdorf and Gallneukirchen (Urfahr-Umgebung district) in the Mühlviertel, the torrential rain kept the emergency services busy, according to the state fire brigade command.
Floods and Mud-Covered Roads in Upper Austria
From 7:45 PM, the weather hit Attersee, later continuing in the Mühlviertel. The volunteer fire brigade Schweinbach from Engerwitzdorf alone handled 35 operations from 9:45 PM until the early morning hours. "Entire streets, countless basements, and living spaces were flooded and covered with mud," stated the operation report. In one part of the town, the water in some houses reached up to the basement ceiling in the rooms. Additionally, a flood alert was triggered at 11:15 PM because the level of the Große Gusen had risen so rapidly.
Flooded basements, fallen trees, mud-covered roads, and securing roofs kept the firefighters busy in the Vöcklabruck district. "This was the first warning, the first severe storm of this season," was the conclusion of the state fire brigade command.
25 Fire Brigade Operations in Salzburg
In the state of Salzburg, several fire brigades were also busy with similar operations. In total, there were 25 operation sites, according to the state fire brigade command upon request from the APA. Around 100 helpers were involved. In the area of the Kienbergwand tunnel at Mondsee, a mudslide had covered the state road, which was still not passable on Monday. Near Wagrain in Pongau, earth slid from a slope onto the road between St. Johann and Wagrain, where a car came to a stop just before the mud and debris, but no one was injured. In the area around Wagrain, there were the most fire brigade operations overall. Mostly, these involved flooded basements or fallen trees.
(APA/Red)
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