Heavy rains and storms hit Austria over the weekend, leading to widespread flooding, mudslides and disruptions to transportation in various regions of the country.
In the ski resort town of St. Anton in western Austria’s state of Tyrol, heavy downpours flooded streets, damaged buildings and swept away cars, Austrian broadcaster ORF reported. Cleanup efforts are now in full swing, local authorities said on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported
Heavy rains also hit the capital city of Vienna on Saturday. The capital city recorded a staggering 110 litres of rain per square meter, a record-breaking figure for summer rainfall, the Austrian newspaper Kurier reported. A woman was swept under a bus by floodwater in Vienna’s Doebling district on Saturday and sustained severe injuries, according to ORF.
ORF also reported major delays of flights at the Vienna Airport over the weekend. In addition, rain-triggered mudslides forced the closure of the Arlberg Pass, a key road connecting the western states of Tyrol and Vorarlberg, and it remained closed to traffic on Sunday afternoon, the broadcaster added.
Meanwhile, Vienna’s fire services received over 450 emergency calls on Saturday due to the flooding.
The heavy rain also caused widespread traffic chaos and disrupted rail services across the city.
Moreover, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer expressed concern over the storm damage and appreciated the efforts of officials working to manage the consequences.
Local meteorologists reported that the Doebling district of Vienna recorded 110 liters of rain per square meter, the highest ever for the month of August.
