Storm in Carinthia

Thunderstorm left a trail of devastation in Kremsbrücke

All the houses in Kremsbrücke are completely destroyed

(Bild: Elisa Aschbacher)

The fear among the residents of Kremsbrücke can still be felt the day after the catastrophic storm during a local inspection. Masses of water left a trail of devastation.

The fate of the residents of Kremsbrücke cannot be put into words. "We've never experienced anything like this before," the shock is written all over the faces of those affected. "It all happened so quickly. The siren blared and shortly afterwards the masses of water headed in our direction like a flood."

If you don't experience something like this yourself, you won't believe it.

Mario Zippusch

The stream burst right next to the bridge in the village, causing the entire village to flood. "The stream sought its own path and masses of mud covered the entire road," said Katharina Zippusch, observing the catastrophic moments in her home town. "If you don't experience something like this yourself, you can't believe it," her husband Mario describes to the "Krone" and looks exhaustedly into his garden, which firefighters are clearing of mud and broken objects. 

Katharina and Mario Zeppusch in front of the devastated garden.

(Bild: Elisa Aschbacher)

Fear for others
Knee-deep in water, 15-year-old Antonia Sagmeister fought her way to the upper floor during the night. "We saved ourselves on the second floor and were soaking wet. I was so scared for my mom, who was so desperate herself. It was like a horror movie. Because you don't know how it will end and whether more water will come our way," says the young woman from Upper Carinthia, talking about the scenes and showing the muddy entrance area of her house, where the basement is still completely flooded. 

Antonia Sagmeister in front of her parents' house.

(Bild: Elisa Aschbacher)

Hotel businesses fear for their existence
Desperate and watery-eyed, the hotel operators clean their entrance areas, bars and cellars, which have been completely devastated by debris and mud. "It's all destroyed - the kitchen, the guest room, the bar. Simply everything," says Maria, who runs the Klammer business, with tears in her eyes. For her, the season hasn't even really started yet. "I'm forced to close indefinitely," she and others fear for their existence. 

This is where the blockages happened. The masses of water flooded the entire village.

(Bild: Elisa Aschbacher)

Residential buildings and hotels have to be cleared of mud. Fire departments are in constant action.

(Bild: Elisa Aschbacher)

The damage is enormous. Objects are barely usable, destroyed by the masses of water.

(Bild: Elisa Aschbacher)

Gasthof Klammer has to be temporarily closed due to the enormous damage.

(Bild: Elisa Aschbacher)

Powerless against the force of the water
Residents walk through the village, shaking their heads in disarray. "We were all powerless, we could only watch as our village was destroyed by the avalanche of water," said pensioner Josef Penker, unable to believe his eyes. And even the emergency services were no longer able to fight the masses of water during the night and had to save their lives. "We tried to hold back the water with sacks and barriers. But no chance. The force swept everything away," says Martin Walasch from the Eisentratten volunteer fire department.