Floods in the wide country

Fire departments in a tough battle against the masses of water

In many places, roads turned into rivers. More than 500 fire departments had their hands full for hours in around 550 operations.

(Bild: Feuerwehr/Reinhard Schaberger)

Lower Austria's fire departments were called out hundreds of times in less than 24 hours! On the Danube, the Florianis remain on alert. For the time being, the forecast is for no major disasters.

The storms in large parts of the country placed enormous demands on the emergency services from Monday to Tuesday. In less than 24 hours, more than 500 fire departments had to deal with flooded streets, cellars and streams that turned into raging rivers in around 550 operations. The worst affected districts were Tulln, Melk, Krems and St. Pölten. In the latter, the Florianis were alerted 80 times.

Danube overflowed its banks
In some places, such as in the Amstetten district or in the Klosterneuburg district of Kritzendorf in the Tulln district, the Danube overflowed its banks. In several places along the river, such as Dürnstein and Weißenkirchen (both in the district of Krems), level one flood protection was also put in place during the course of Tuesday. 

Heavy rain in the district of St. Pölten
In the district of St. Pölten, heavy rainfall on Tuesday night led to numerous fallen trees, flooded streets and cellars as well as blockages in rivers and streams. Agricultural areas were particularly affected, some of which were massively flooded. In some cases, debris was washed from fields onto traffic areas, reported the district command.

In the St. Pölten district of Pottenbrunn, the Saubach burst its banks and caused considerable damage, and Herzogenburg was also badly affected. The situation did not ease until the morning hours of Tuesday. It is estimated that the clean-up work will continue throughout Tuesday. In total, the fire departments in the St. Pölten district responded to around 150 storm operations.

There were 19 operations in Herzogenburg-Stadt, district of St. Pölten.

(Bild: FF Herzogenburg)

Roads were also flooded in the district of Korneuburg

(Bild: BFKdo Korneuburg)

In Hörfarth, a market town of Paudorf in the district of Krems, the emergency services were called out

(Bild: Manfred Wimmer)

The WSZ Paudorf was closed on Tuesday

(Bild: GV Krems)

It rained liters of water in Tulln within a very short time

(Bild: Feuerwehr Tulln)

Flooded streets in Tulln

(Bild: Feuerwehr Tulln)

Hundreds of hectares of farmland flooded
In Ardagger (Amstetten district), the Danube overflowed its banks on Tuesday night, flooding several hundred hectares of land in Machland Süd, reported Mayor and President of the Association of Municipalities Johannes Pressl (ÖVP). The country road from Ardagger Markt in the direction of Wallsee was closed in the early hours of Tuesday morning, Pressl reported.

Situation along the Danube tense
The situation was still tense along the Danube on Tuesday afternoon. "Many towpaths and roads such as the B6 in the Ernstbrunn area are flooded or closed," emphasized Klaus Stebal, spokesman for the provincial fire brigade command. However, there was no disaster alert. Now that only little precipitation is expected in the affected areas, major disasters are also unlikely to occur. However, the water levels will continue to be monitored closely, Stebal emphasized.

Peak during the night
The Danube water level in Lower Austria was expected to peak on Tuesday night, according to the hydrographic service. The situation should then ease due to the absence of masses of water.

1000 euros emergency aid from the Chamber of Labor
Meanwhile, the Lower Austrian Chamber of Labor is supporting members affected by the storms with its own disaster aid of up to 1000 euros. The direct aid can be applied for repair and renovation measures in the housing sector.