Throughout the country

Wave of aid after the great flood is now rolling in

The northern entrance to Oberwart was under water.

(Bild: Stadtfeuerwehr Oberwart)

A new special guideline from the state for repairing disaster damage is intended to provide unbureaucratic help to those affected.

Even if the exact extent of the damage following the severe weather disaster at the weekend cannot yet be quantified, it is already foreseeable that the damage will run into the millions.

Almost 4000 firefighters
Around 3800 firefighters from almost 200 fire departments as well as eight platoons of the disaster relief service, the Austrian Armed Forces and all employees of the state's road construction authorities have been helping those affected by the storms with the clean-up work.

Announcing rapid assistance: BH Bubik, Provincial Head Doskozil, Provincial Councillor Dorner and BFKDT Kinelly.

(Bild: Schulter Christian)

New directive
Rapid assistance for the thousands of people affected is the order of the day. That is why Governor Hans Peter Doskozil announces a new special guideline for repairing disaster damage. Employees of the province and the district authorities will support the municipalities in documenting the damage from Wednesday.

Above all, the help for the people should be unbureaucratic. Coordination will be carried out by the municipalities; the victims do not have to contact the state on their own initiative.

"Settle the damage "
"The aim now is to get to the people on the ground as quickly as possible to settle the damage," says Doskozil. It is assumed that all the damage will have been recorded in around three weeks and the necessary investments for repairs can be made.

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Hotline for those affected
Caritas Burgenland has also set up its own hotline to provide local people in need with financial support and vouchers in order to help particularly affected families quickly and unbureaucratically.

Caritas Director Melanie Balaskovics has announced that 100,000 euros will be made available for this purpose. Furthermore, Caritas is in contact with the parish networks in the region in order to actively offer help.

Helping companies
Help is also available for companies "who receive emergency aid money from our relief fund", explains Andreas Wirth, President of the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber of Commerce is working flat out to provide rapid, unbureaucratic assistance.

To this end, the Chamber's regional offices will visit damaged businesses on site to assess the extent of the damage. "We are also holding talks with the SVS and the WKÖ in order to endow a joint disaster fund," explains Harald Schermann, Director of the Chamber of Commerce.