Disaster alert

Floods: army deploys to Oberwart district

After the flood comes the big clean-up. Support has also been announced from the Austrian Armed Forces in the Oberwart district.

(Bild: Christian Schulter)

Flash floods triggered by heavy rain caused chaos in Burgenland on Sunday night. The situation has come to a head and a civil defense alert is still in effect in the district of Oberwart. While the next thunderstorms are approaching, the assistance of the Austrian Armed Forces is now also being requested.

The situation after the severe storms in the district of Oberwart remains tense. Parts of the district are still cut off from the outside world. The damage is enormous.

The situation in Wiesfleck, Unterschützen and increasingly in the southern part of the district is particularly precarious. Hundreds of fire departments from all over Burgenland are in action. Support is now also coming from the Austrian Armed Forces.

Assistance deployment of the army in the Oberwart district
Governor Hans Peter Doskozil requested the assistance of the Austrian Armed Forces in a telephone conversation with Minister of Defense Klaudia Tanner and was assured of this. According to the Governor's office, this will be deployed throughout the Oberwart district with immediate effect.

Governor Hans Peter Doskozil and District Governor Peter Bubik in the operations center at the Oberwart fire station.

(Bild: Carina Fenz)

Hundreds of employees from the road construction authorities help with the operation
In addition, all employees of the state's road construction offices have been ordered to their offices. From there, they are assigned to the particularly affected flooded areas in the Oberwart district to support the emergency services with all the necessary work. They will also organize the necessary technical equipment required to clear blockages, the province announced.

Rapid assistance from the state's disaster fund promised
"The state will ensure that the necessary financial resources are available from the state's disaster fund to provide the necessary support to people and communities affected by the damage," Doskozil confirmed. This financial aid - which includes damage not covered by insurance - must be processed quickly and as unbureaucratically as possible.

Governor thanks relief workers
The Governor thanked all the aid workers - especially the volunteer fire departments - who had been "doing an incredible job for hours". The situation is extremely challenging and dramatic. "But the population can rely on the emergency services, authorities and many volunteers to do everything that is necessary."