The lights go out in Austria – this scenario is solved for experts! A dark Happel Stadium including the Prater is only a harbinger. In the near future, at the same time, there may be a power outage in the country: it is important to be prepared.
And suddenly there was no electricity! On Monday evening, a local power outage in the federal capital meant that nothing went as usual in Vienna-Leopoldstadt. 1,500 households were affected by the power outages in the second district, the lights went out in the world-famous Prater amusement park, attractions came to a standstill, people had to be rescued from dizzying heights.
The kick-off of the international match between Austria and Denmark at the Ernst Happel Stadium was postponed until late in the night. After the final whistle, hundreds of cars were stuck in the parking garage of the stadium center because the barriers did not work. “We in Vienna’s 22nd district were also affected. It was an eerie feeling because we didn’t know when electricity would be back. Unfortunately, we also had to get rid of the groceries from the fridge and freezer,” says retired Kumar D. (57), Tuesday.
Broken connector responsible for power outage
Incidentally, the power outage was caused by a defective connection piece of a power cable that had not withstood the heavy rain on Sunday. “Such local failures happen again and again and are not tragic for the bigger picture,” Herbert Saurugg, an international expert on blackout and crisis prevention, said in an interview with “Krone” the following day.
He is also concerned about events showing how quickly domestic supply chains and thus basic supplies can become unbalanced – such as the release of fuel from the strategic reserve following the recent incident at the Schwechat refinery. Saurugg therefore once again calls for personal precautions (infobox) to create an important safety cushion for yourself in the event of an emergency: “Because if the logistics are disrupted over a large area, it can probably take several weeks before everything is back to normal and also works smoothly.”
And somehow it seems only a matter of time before a widespread power outage takes place in Austria. The police can then only maintain public order for a few days…
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
