Severe Weather in Austria Causes Millions in Damage to Agriculture
In Wörgl, lightning struck a single-family house, causing the fire to reach the roof. In Kössen, a hay barn in a field caught fire. There were no injuries.
150 Fire Brigade Deployments Due to Storms in Tyrol
Due to the lightning strike on the prefabricated house in Wörgl, the facade initially caught fire in the lower area. However, it quickly spread along the facade upwards to the roof. After about one and a half hours, the fire brigade brought the fire under control and assisted in sealing the outer wall and the roof, reported the police. The exact extent of the damage was initially unclear. The lightning strike on the barn in Kössen ignited parts of the roof structure. A hole of one square meter was created in the roof. The fire was quickly extinguished by the fire brigade. By the evening, there had been around 150 fire brigade deployments in Tyrol according to the control center. The emergency services had to respond locally mainly due to fallen trees and water damage. Widespread damage of a larger scale was avoided.
Storms Also Challenged Fire Brigades in Lower Austria
In Lower Austria, the fire brigades recorded around 80 storm-related deployments on Thursday, according to Klaus Stebal from the state command. The districts of Horn, Zwettl, Gmünd, Krems, and Waidhofen an der Thaya were particularly affected. The focus of operations was in and around Groß-Siegharts, where, according to the district command, there were fallen trees and flooded basements. Parts of the roof of a factory building were also uncovered. 164 firefighters were deployed in the district.
Woodstock of Brass Music Brushed by Storm
The Woodstock of Brass Music festival in Ort im Innkreis in Upper Austria, whose grounds were evacuated on Thursday, has meanwhile come off lightly: The thunderstorm fronts only grazed the area, according to the organizers. The camping grounds have now been cleared, and arrivals can proceed as planned.
Millions in Damage Due to Storms in Domestic Agriculture
The Austrian Hail Insurance estimated the total agricultural damage from Thursday's storms at nine million euros. The main areas affected were Tyrol and Styria, and locally also Lower Austria, it was reported. Massive hailstones with a diameter of up to five centimeters caused "severe damage to agricultural crops." In addition to arable and grassland areas, fruit and tree nurseries, Christmas tree cultures, and vegetable growing areas were also affected.
Storm: Tree Fell on Eastern Railway Line in Styria
In Nestelbach near Graz (Graz-Umgebung district), a tree fell on the track of the Styrian Eastern Railway on Thursday evening. The driver of a regional train could not stop in time and collided with the trunk. The locomotive sustained minor damage, and the rail vehicle derailed. According to the Nestelbach Volunteer Fire Department, none of the approximately 60 people on the train were injured. However, the emergency services literally had to cut their way through trees that had fallen on paths and roads with chainsaws.
(APA/Red)
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