The heavy rain still keeps the south of the country under control. While the situation in Oberpinzgau is improving somewhat, the situation in Mitterpinzgau and Pongau is occasionally critical.
In the south of the country, the streams in the valleys of the main Alpine ridge carried so much water into the Salzach that the retention basins in Oberpinzgau were flooded early on. By late afternoon, 125 missions were underway. About 460 firefighters are fighting the bodies of water, especially in Pinzgau and Pongau.
In Mittersill, the Salzach had reached a level of over 5.30 meters at the beginning of the afternoon. Therefore, the drawbridge in the city center was closed and raised. The large retention areas in the valley were filled with water, but critical development is not expected, according to the state’s hydrographic office.
As the commander of the Pinzgau district fire brigade, Klaus Portenkirchner, explained, the Oberpinzgau up to Stuhlfelden is now being hit. He called on many holidaymakers not to travel by car for the time being, and the local population should also refrain from unnecessary travel. The Gerlosstraße had to be closed.
The Grasslau district in Bischofshofen is under water
In the second largest city of the Pongau, Bischofshofen, the Salzach has overcome the storm surge barriers and has overflowed its banks. Bridges are blocked and closed. The Grasslau district is already largely under water. The volunteer fire brigade has more than 60 men on duty. Sandbags are already scarce.
Gastein and Grossarltal hit
The situation was also critical in the Rauris Valley. The detention rooms there were already almost full. In the neighboring Gastein Valley, work was going on at full speed on setting up a mobile flood protection system. The Grossarl valley is also heavily affected by the heavy rainfall. The side valley of the Salzachpongau is currently closed off from the outside world
The hydrographic office expected the water level in the Oberpinzgau to rise just below alarm limit 1. However, due to the size of the retention areas, no critical development is currently expected.
Evacuation in Neukirchen
In the afternoon, however, three people from two houses in the Neukirchner district of Sulzau in Pinzgau had to be evacuated by the volunteer fire brigade of Mittersill with the turntable ladder as a precaution, because crossing the bridge would have been too dangerous. As a precaution, 110 children were evacuated from a holiday camp in Niedernsill.
Registration limit exceeded in the city of Salzburg
In the area of the city of Salzburg, the Salzach exceeded the reporting limit and rare water levels of 6.5 meters are to be expected at the Nonntaler Brug measuring point. In the early hours of the night, experts from the hydrographic office of the Middle and Upper Salzach expect a flood of ten to thirty years. The peak in this area is predicted for the first half of the night.
B311 closed at Schwarzach
The heavy rain continues to cause traffic delays. Due to the flood situation, the B 311 between Schwarzach and Lend is currently closed to all traffic. The Westbahn route is also interrupted in the area. ÖBB trains currently do not run to Gastein; train services to Carinthia or Italy are only possible to a very limited extent.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
