After severe weather in Tyrol

Two trains and ten cars trapped between mudslides

On the left, the mudslide on the Karwendelbahn line. On the right, the B171 Tiroler Straße between Innsbruck and Zirl

(Bild: ÖBB/SAE West, zVg)

Severe thunderstorms swept across parts of Tyrol on Monday evening. The area west of Innsbruck - around Zirl and Kematen - was particularly affected. Two trains were trapped between mudslides on the Karwendelbahn line and ten cars on the B171 Tiroler Straße. A regional train had to be evacuated. Fire department and co. were in action!

Shortly after 7.30 pm, a mudslide hit the Karwendelbahn line in the Martinswand area. "A train traveling towards Seefeld got caught in the debris and got stuck in it. Initially, around 40 passengers were to be evacuated to the next train heading towards Innsbruck with the help of the ÖBB operations manager and emergency services. However, another mudslide came down, blocking the onward journey of this second train so that it could not reach the stuck train," according to ÖBB.

Due to the impassable terrain, the emergency services ultimately had to climb up to the train set on foot. "After assessing the situation on site, restoring the interrupted power supply, repairing the major damage and checking the train set, it was decided that the train set could drive back to Innsbruck West Station on its own. There, the passengers were handed over to the rescue services," according to ÖBB.

The Karwendelbahn line remains closed for the time being.

ÖBB-Sprecher Christoph Gasser-Mair

The passengers of the second train - around 20 in number - were evacuated with the help of the fire department. Mountain rescue, mountain rescue and police were also on site. "The Karwendelbahn line remains closed for the time being", ÖBB spokesman Christoph Gasser-Mair told the "Krone" newspaper on Tuesday morning. Experts would take a close look at the situation on site in the morning. A decision will then be made on how to proceed.

Cars trapped between mudslides
The B171 Tiroler Straße between Innsbruck and Zirl was also displaced by mudslides. According to the police, no fewer than ten vehicles with a total of 17 people were trapped as a result. Clean-up work began immediately. However, patience was required. 

One of the huge mudslides that buried the B171.

(Bild: zVg)

"The trapped vehicles on the B171 were only able to resume their journey at around 10.45 p.m., after the road had been cleared by appropriate clearance work. An articulated bus was able to reverse out of the danger zone in the direction of Zirl," said the police.

Federal highway closed until further notice
Following the assessment of the B171 by the provincial geology department on Tuesday morning, the Zirl road maintenance department began clearing work under high pressure. "Depending on further weather developments and rainfall, this will take a few days. The road will therefore remain closed to all traffic until further notice," reported the province. An alternative route is possible via the A12 Inntalautobahn.

The B171 Tiroler Straße remains closed between Zirl (photo) and Innsbruck.

(Bild: Rauth Hubert/Krone KREATIV)

A total of three large and several smaller mudslides have displaced the B171. In addition to clearing the road, the protective structures along the carriageway also need to be cleared and repaired.

Bus hit by manhole cover
There was also a dangerous scene in neighboring Kematen. Due to the heavy storm, a manhole cover was pushed out of its socket directly in front of a bus and literally flung upwards. "The bus crashed into the manhole cover. The bus driver and a passenger were injured by the impact and the simultaneous heavy braking of the vehicle," reported the police. 

Landslides also in the Oberinntal valley
In addition, the Oberinntal state road between Pfunds and Landeck was closed in both directions for around an hour due to a landslide. The Pitztal state road between St. Leonhard and Mandarfen was also closed in both directions for the same reason.

150 operations in a very short time
The Tyrol control center counted a total of around 150 operations in a short period of time to which the fire department was called - most of them in Kematen and Zirl, it said. 47 fire departments were deployed. In addition to heavy rain, there were also isolated hail showers.