The emergency services in Vorarlberg have had an eventful night. Due to the heavy rain, they have had to move 210 times so far. The situation on the Leiblach was sometimes particularly difficult. In Hörbranz, several residential buildings narrowly escaped being evacuated. The situation has now eased.
Flooded cellars and underpasses, landslides, blocked roads – the enormous amounts of precipitation have left their mark on Vorarlberg. However, there can be no question of a catastrophe scenario.
Completely clear at night
Especially those who live in the immediate vicinity of Leiblach experienced anxious hours. Part of the German-Austrian border river had a water level equivalent to a 100 to 300 year flood. On Sunday evening there were even considerations to evacuate the houses near the Hörbranzer sports field; An emergency shelter with sleeping places had already been set up in the local gym.
When the rain subsided around 3 a.m., the water level in Leiblach dropped by about one meter within an hour, meaning the all-clear was given. This was not least due to the efforts of the fire brigade: two powerful pumps were used to pump out the water that had accumulated on the sports field, and sandbag barriers also prevented the water from entering the surrounding houses.
Powerful infrastructure, reliable and competent fire brigades
The rescue and fire control center has counted about 210 missions since the start of the heavy rain, of which about 90 percent in the Bregenz district and especially in the Leiblachtal. Once again it has been shown that Vorarlberg is very well prepared for such extreme weather conditions. This is mainly due to two reasons: firstly, the well-developed infrastructure, especially the powerful and well-maintained sewerage network.
And on the other hand, you can call on the volunteer fire brigade in the region. It was impressive how fast the response was to the hotspots in the Leiblachtal: troops and equipment were requested early on from other communities in the lowlands of Vorarlberg, and together they then laid sandbags, erected artificial barricades and set up pumps – one gear was connected to the other left hand knew what the right was doing. In short: thanks to an excellent organizational structure, the Vorarlberg fire brigades function as one organic whole in the event of an emergency. The crisis communication also deserves praise: all the necessary information was available on the state homepage in almost real time, and the responsible authorities communicated objectively and accurately, without creating a single trace of panic.
In neighboring Germany the situation was even worse
How well positioned the disaster management system in Vorarlberg is is also evident from a comparison with the neighboring southern German area: although the Leiblachtal and Bregenzerwald recorded some of the largest amounts of rainfall in the larger area, the consequences were much less drastic than in the neighboring German regions. In Meckenbeuren, just 30 kilometers from the border with Vorarlberg, 1,300 people were asked to leave their homes. In the immediately adjacent Lindau district, several houses also had to be evacuated and parts of the sewerage network were sometimes completely flooded due to the amount of rain.
Precipitation throughout the country
Not only the region around Lake Constance was affected by the heavy rainfall, but the entire country. In most cases, the fire brigade had to pump out flooded basements, underpasses and underground parking garages. Smaller landslides or mudslides have also occurred; a landslide in Alberschwende caused, among other things, a side road to be blocked.
Although it will continue to rain in the coming hours, the situation in Vorarlberg should continue to improve. The precautionary partial closure of the Rhine spurs is also expected to be lifted in the coming hours.
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.
