After the violent storm on Friday night, the Tyrolean community of St. Anton am Arlberg is in a state of emergency. More than 300 emergency services are on site. The flash floods have even swept away cars. Countless cellars are under water and streams are blocked. A reconnaissance flight by helicopter will now show the full extent of the situation.
“A total of 350 people are currently on duty,” said Peter Mall, spokesman for the crisis team, in an interview with the “Krone” on Saturday morning. In St. Anton, nine fire brigades from the district are present, as well as mountain rescue services, rescue services, police and many private aid workers.
Race against time, more rain forecast
“The focus is now clearly on clearing the debris and blockages. Also, some bedload basins are full. These also need to be emptied,” said Mall, who is concerned about the heavy rain forecast, especially on Sunday. It could be a race against time…
Speaking of heavy rain: “It was extraordinary. This speed,” says Mall. “It rained heavily for an hour. The front didn’t move any further. “She really got stuck with the Galzig,” says Mall.
Floods and mudslides
The result: mudslides and real flooding through the city. Several streets in the municipality are closed, including the Arlbergstrasse. (B197). Vorarlberg can currently only be reached from Tyrol via the Lechtal, because the Arlbergtunnel is currently closed for renovation work.
Cars swept away by masses of water
The power of the water masses was evident from the fact that at least two cars were swept away by the floods.
“Luckily, we were able to quickly verify that they were parked cars with no one in them,” Mall explains, who also emphasizes: “There are no injuries, everyone is safe. This is the best thing that can happen to us at this moment in this situation.”
A reconnaissance flight by helicopter was planned for the morning to assess the situation from above and to discover any further potential dangers. The emergency services had to clean up, pump out the cellars and clear the mud.
Hotspots also in the low mountain range and the Sellraintal
The storms in Tyrol also caused problems elsewhere on Friday evening. The Sellraintalstraße (L13) will remain closed until Monday at least after a mudslide in the municipality of Sellrain between Sellrain and Kematen. According to the state, a bypass is possible with a one-way system from the valley via Grinzens (Tanneben district) and in the valley via Oberperfuss (L233 Oberperfer Straße).
Photos of the mudflow in Sellrain:
The Götzener Landesstraße (L12) is also closed after a landslide. A bypass to Grinzens is possible via the municipal road Bachele.
More than 100 missions for fire brigades
The Tyrolean control centre registered a total of 110 fire brigade operations between Friday evening and 17:00. 62 fire brigades were alerted. The majority of these were storm operations, as ‘Krone’ asked.
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.
