Severely affected

Flood: “I don’t even have any socks left!”

Irmgard Slanar and Regine Kalisch's property is devastated. The house is no longer habitable.

(Bild: Zwefo)

"Krone" local inspection of the badly affected flood victims in Penzing. The City of Vienna is now starting to provide financial aid.

Irmgard Slanar stands in front of her house and shakes her head. "The flood has destroyed almost everything. We don't know what to do next," the 66-year-old begins to say. The water in her wooden house was 1.50 meters high after the Vienna River burst its banks. The entire basement was flooded. The heat pump and the technology are ruined. In the background, two workers remove the stubborn mud from the once pretty garden.

Vienna got off relatively lightly during the floods. But here in Penzing, in the Hadersdorf-Weidlingau district, the enormous amounts of rain caused a lot of damage. In Ludwiggasse, around 100 people had to be evacuated by the fire department. The city's mobile operations center has been set up nearby since Wednesday - at Herzmanskystraße 12.

The flood commission with a mobile operations center in the 14th district of Vienna at Herzmanskystraße 12

(Bild: Zwefo)

The first flood victims are already waiting there at the "Krone" local inspection. From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., the bus of the Emergency Measures Group acts as a contact point. Members of the emergency response team help to fill out the claim form. If the claim is confirmed and completed by the Flood Commission, financial assistance is provided by the Department of Finance (MA 5). Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) has arranged for Vienna to fulfill the maximum quota of up to 50 percent - with a maximum cap on the amount of damage of up to 100,000 euros - we reported.

Harald Havlicek's apartment was completely destroyed by the flood.

(Bild: Zwefo)

Harald Havlicek (67) was also hit particularly hard. The pensioner lives on the first floor in Alois-Czedik-Gasse, right next to the Vienna River. His four walls became uninhabitable on September 15. He woke up at 5 a.m. and was already standing in water up to his ankles.

The flood commission of the City of Vienna assessed the damage directly on site.

(Bild: Zwefo)

"I knew I had to get out immediately. Now I don't even have socks!" says the pensioner, still in shock. He has since found shelter with a neighbor. The garage of the house is also flooded. A car and a motorcycle are broken. But the household insurance is paying off.

Back to Mrs. Slanar. After the flood commission's visit, she is somewhat relieved for the first time. After an initial inspection, she was promised 70,000 euros in financial aid. A first glimmer of hope.