Many onlookers

The continuous rain caused rivers to burst their banks

In Linz, the Donaulände was under water.(Bild: Dostal Harald)

The floods kept the emergency services throughout Upper Austria on their toes on Tuesday. In the evening hours, the all-clear was given by the state's hydrographic service: The peak of the Danube level had been reached in Linz, and water levels were expected to fall again throughout the province during the night.

In the end, there was more rain than expected! On Tuesday morning, the flood situation in Upper Austria became dramatic once again: "The precipitation of the previous night had not been included in the forecasts, the Inn brought the heavy rain from the northern Alps faster than expected," explained Christian Wakolbinger from the Upper Austrian Hydrographic Service. As a result, the Inn and the Danube overflowed their banks.

In Linz on Tuesday evening, the Danube overflowing its banks did not stop some people from using the sports equipment and open spaces on the Donaulände in Urfahr - as our video below shows. Many onlookers were also out and about, marveling at the masses of water and taking photos.

Navigation on the Danube suspended
In Linz, the Danube flooded the Urfahr market area early on Tuesday morning - a water level of 6.86 meters was measured. The city had additional mobile protective dams erected. On the Linz side, the roads in the area of the Römerberg tunnel were closed and navigation on the Danube was suspended. The city imposed a walking and cycling ban on the paths on both sides of the river and sent out an appeal to citizens to avoid the vicinity of the water in order to avoid taking any risks and disrupting the work. In Mauthausen and Grein, flood protection was also extended during the day.

Roads near the Danube in Linz were flooded.(Bild: Dostal Harald)

 In Schärding, the Inn promenade and the boat landing stage parking lot were still closed on Monday evening and further elements of the mobile flood protection were installed during the night. Fire departments were active in 100 operations throughout the country on Tuesday.

The Inn came dangerously close to some houses.(Bild: FF Schärding)

Relief during the night
"The Bavarian Danube is still very high, which will also keep the Danube high in Upper Austria," said Wakolbinger. However, he gave a slight all-clear in the evening hours: "The great danger has been averted because the precipitation forecasts for Wednesday are harmless in the Upper Austrian region. That has a positive effect, of course."

In Schärding, the level of the Inn had already started to fall during the day and in Linz the Danube had already reached its peak in the evening. "We still have rising water levels as far as Grein," explained Wakolbinger. In the course of the night to Wednesday, however, the peak was also reached there and falling water levels are to be expected.