In Styria

Another severe storm in the disaster area!

In Spielberg, a car was pulled out of a flooded underpass

(Bild: Thomas Zeiler)

Less than 24 hours after the flooding in the districts of Voitsberg and Murtal, a new violent storm front moved through Styria. The storm in particular caused damage and hundreds of firefighting operations. The alarm was sounded again in the disaster areas of western Styria! 

The Styrian provincial fire brigade association could hardly keep up with the number of call-outs on Friday evening. A storm front moved through the province, starting in western Upper Styria and moving towards Burgenland shortly before 7pm. The sky also turned coal-black in the provincial capital of Graz and it poured down heavily.

Dark storm clouds also over the provincial capital of Graz

(Bild: Christoph Hartner)

Lots of storm damage
It was not flooding, but the storm that caused the greatest concern this time, reported Günter Hohenberger, head of the provincial warning center, to the "Krone" at around 7 pm. "There are many fallen trees on roads, power lines and other infrastructure, and roofs were also covered." In the early evening, however, the situation was still somewhat confusing. However, it was not apparent that one region had been hit particularly hard.

Trees also fell in Wildbad Einöd (Murau district)

(Bild: Martina Münzer)

According to Urs Harnik, spokesperson for Energie Steiermark, up to 10,000 households were without power, particularly in the Voitsberg and Birkfeld regions. It is assumed that almost all disruptions can be rectified during the night.

Danger from blockages averted
There is a slight sigh of relief in Western Styria: there were some devastating floods here on Thursday, the municipalities of Edelschrott, Voitsberg, Maria Lankowitz, Krottendorf-Gaisfeld and St. Martin am Wöllmißberg are considered disaster areas. Another civil defense alert was issued for them on Friday afternoon and the population was advised to get to safety!

The municipal office in Krottendorf was also flooded

(Bild: Scherbichler Wulf/Wulf Scherbichler)

Ultimately, the new storm front also caused storm damage in this region, according to Deputy Provincial Fire Brigade Commander Christian Leitgeb. During the day, hundreds of firefighters had given their all in anticipation of the new front. Leitgeb: "We were able to reach every property and make contact with all residents."

Operation figures

• Since Thursday afternoon, almost 190 fire departments with 1500 members have been deployed in Styria with around 700 alarms .
• On Friday, the Graz-Umgebung area was at the top of the list with 130 call-outs.
• Since the beginning of the year, there have been more than 2500 operations in Styria in connection with pumping work and natural disasters. In the same period of the previous year, there were just under 2300.

The situation in the Teigitschgraben (municipality of Krottendorf-Gaisfeld) was particularly tense. High blockages formed, threatening several houses. The danger now seems to have been largely averted - 33 soldiers from the Austrian army also helped to clear the water of driftwood that had washed up so that no artificial dams formed.  

"We hope that the level of the Teigitsch will continue to fall", says Mayor Lukas Vogl in the evening. Some houses are still evacuated and some of the residents have been accommodated in a hotel. There is still a lot of work to be done in Krottendorf-Gaisfeld. Vogl: "The operations are being processed continuously."

Car up to the roof in water
In the Murtal district - the second "hotspot" on Thursday - the fire departments are also in action again. According to spokesman Thomas Zeiler, this time the storm and not the flooding is the main problem. Many trees have fallen onto roads, and the Murtal expressway (S36) is also affected. Until late in the evening, 132 firefighters were on duty.

Fire department divers brought the vehicle to dry land

(Bild: Thomas Zeiler)

There was already a spectacular operation during the day: In Spielberg, a car was stuck in a highway underpass - it was submerged up to the roof. Divers from the Apfelberg fire department secured the car and brought it out of the underpass together with comrades from Spielberg. The operation lasted one hour.

Weiz outdoor pool remains closed
On Friday evening, a lot of damage was also reported from Eastern Styria, especially from the Weiz area: for example, the Weiz outdoor pool cannot open on Saturday. In the Hartberg-Fürstenfeld district, which only experienced a storm disaster at the beginning of June, many fire departments also had to be called out to repair the damage.