Enormous damage
Assessment after the storms: “There’s never been anything like it”
Desperation, fear, but also incredible solidarity: after the severe storms, the people of Burgenland proved that their willingness to help knows no bounds.
The scenes that unfolded in the Oberwart district on Sunday night were like something out of a movie. Torrential floods triggered by heavy rain turned entire villages into raging rivers.
No serious injuries
50 people had to be rescued from dangerous situations, but miraculously no one was seriously injured. The communities most affected were Wiesfleck with the districts of Schreibersdorf and Schönherrn, Unterschützen and Loipersdorf. The tenor of the population was unanimous: "There has never been anything like this before - it was apocalyptic!"
Roads closed
The situation was also extreme in all municipalities along the Pinka, where local flooding occurred. There was even a civil protection alert in Oberwart, Rotenturm and Siget. Many roads had to be closed due to the flooding.
During the course of the day, the initial consequences of the devastating storm became apparent: the damage will run into millions, the clean-up work will take weeks - and above all, people are still afraid of new floods, as the weather forecasts do not promise any relief in the coming days.
Great courage from the residents
But one thing has become clear: A willingness to help and solidarity are common practice in Burgenland in the event of a disaster, as Wiesfleck's village chief Christoph Krutzler emphasized. "The desperation is great, but so is the courage that the population is now mustering to rebuild everything," said the mayor.
Quick help for everyone
People in almost all municipalities pitched in, even in their neighbors' gardens, even though their own cellars were under water. Within a very short space of time, clubs organized refreshments for the thousands of firefighters and people involved in the clean-up work. Governor Hans Peter Doskozil also promised rapid assistance.
Supporting municipalities
"The state will ensure that the necessary financial resources are available from the state's disaster fund to provide the necessary support to the people and communities affected by the damage," Doskozil emphasized. This financial aid - which includes damage not covered by insurance - must be processed quickly and unbureaucratically.
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