Reconstruction in Lower Austria

Still “end” for last disaster areas today

The water masses in the country have largely receded. Reconstruction will now be a major effort following the devastating disaster in Lower Austria.

(Bild: APA/Helmut Fohringer, DOKU-NÖ/BMLV/DANIEL TRIPPOLT, Krone KREATIV)

The storm disaster in mid-September still has Lower Austria firmly in its grip. The damage is too severe, not even the masses of water have completely receded. But there is light on the horizon and the last disaster area ordinances will be lifted today, Thursday evening.

Since mid-September, 93,000 emergency services have been fighting against the forces of nature, 60,000 of whom were members of the fire departments. "Even if we can now lift the disaster area ordinances in all areas of our province, the reconstruction will still cost the whole country a lot of strength, resources and perseverance," emphasizes Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner.

Together with her deputy and head of the command staff Stephan Pernkopf, the head of the province announced the end of the disaster area ordinances in the last districts on Thursday evening, October 10. These are Tulln, the city of St. Pölten and the surrounding area.

"The flood disaster has caused enormous damage and great suffering in Lower Austria. I would like to thank everyone who has tackled and helped to overcome this disaster over the past few weeks," said Mikl-Leitner, emphasizing the "superhuman efforts" of the fire departments. However, she also praised the many volunteers and the mayors who are currently on the road with the damage commissions and have given their best as the "first crisis managers on the ground". This crisis has shown that Lower Austria sticks together.

No more damage from rainfall
"This flood has shown that solidarity is stronger than any natural disaster," Pernkopf also agreed. Local pumping work is still underway in the Tullnerfeld and slopes are still being stabilized in the Pielach Valley. "However, according to geologists, the rainfall of the last few days has had no additional impact on the risk of landslides. For this reason, the disaster area ordinances in the districts of Tulln, St. Pölten-Land and St. Pölten can be lifted from this evening," says the provincial vice mayor.

Almost all rivers severely affected
30-year or 100-year flood discharges were recorded on almost all rivers in Lower Austria, with many watercourses even far exceeding these levels. Over 400 municipalities were confronted with storm damage caused by floods and storms, with more than 100 properties affected in 52 municipalities. In total, more than 20,000 properties were affected across the country. More than 75 million euros in aid has already been paid out.

Learning for the future . . .
According to Mikl-Leitner, the disbursement of flood aid "is continuing at a rapid pace. As of today (Thursday), around 75 million euros have been paid out to affected compatriots and businesses." The state now also wants to learn from this flood event for future disasters and has set up a working group under the leadership of university professor Fritz Zibuschka to analyze this exceptional event and draw lessons from it.

Sewage emergency in Pottenbrunn ended
St. Pölten's mayor Matthias Stadler also spoke of the devastating damage in the provincial capital and the close cooperation between the city's emergency services and the crisis team: "They worked tirelessly to help the people affected as quickly as possible and thus prevented the worst from happening. After three weeks of hard work, the sewage emergency in Pottenbrunn was ended, most of the streets and parks were reopened and danger spots were secured."

Stadler is grateful to the relief workers. Although the disaster is now officially over, its after-effects are far from over. The task now is to assess and deal with the damage. "We must continue to pull together and stand by those people who have been hit hardest by the disaster," says Stadler.