After the heavy storm, including mudslides and flash floods, in the Arlberg area on Friday night, the Federal Army is coming by on Wednesday to clean up. About fifty soldiers are to replace the volunteers in the hardest-hit Tyrolean town of St. Anton.
“In order to support the emergency services, the operational staff and the state of Tyrol have requested an emergency operation from the Austrian Armed Forces, which will start on Wednesday,” the state announced on Tuesday. Soldiers from Staff Battalion 6 will be deployed in the clean-up operations.
Relieve the burden on emergency services and helpers
“All helping hands have worked tirelessly for days to repair the damage after last Friday’s storm as quickly as possible,” emphasizes Governor LH Anton Mattle: “To relieve these people, the federal army is now also providing active support.”
Colonel Peter Nuderscher, Deputy Military Commander of Tyrol, explains: “We will carry out the tasks assigned to us professionally on site in the usual manner and are already in close contact with the operational staff in order to start our work on Wednesday morning and realize our contribution to the repair of the storm damage.”
Arlberg Pass: open at night
St. Anton Mayor Helmut Mall said Tuesday that the opening of the washed-out and partially torn-away Arlberg Pass went smoothly overnight. A temporary lane was built on the Vorarlberg side.
According to Mall, it was mainly trucks from Vorarlberg that passed through the pass. But overall, “there was not much going on.” Due to the cleaning work, the Arlbergstrasse is only open to traffic between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. until Friday.
Dozens of trucks and 15 excavators
Tuesday morning was a different picture. “The trucks are moving every minute,” Mall said, describing the situation. There are 50 trucks and as many as 15 excavators in operation again. Some 25,000 cubic meters of material have already been moved. The state says up to 50,000 cubic meters need to be removed from the basins.
Pipes and sewer network undamaged
Now begins the “great search for clues” with the inspection of the secondary areas. Fortunately, neither the water pipes nor the sewer network were affected. However, the damage to the roads, streams and structures is great. However, the mayor could not give an estimate of the damage.
Tourism experts are optimistic
Of course, the disaster also had consequences for local tourism. A large part of the tourist infrastructure has already been made accessible to the public again, the TVB said on Tuesday. Since Monday, many hiking and cycling trails have been reopened and the Arlberger Bergbahnen lifts have been put into operation.
“The commitment and solidarity of the emergency services and volunteers from all over Tyrol and of all local residents is overwhelming. “It makes me positive that we can offer our guests great, sporting experiences in the mountains again as soon as possible,” emphasizes Martin Ebster, Managing Director of the St. Anton am Arlberg Tourist Association.
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.
