As feared, the storm in Styria reached its peak on Sunday night. Fire brigades were constantly on duty throughout the country and the mechanics of Energie Steiermark did not have a moment’s rest.
The State Fire Brigade Association speaks of an “extraordinary burden”. From Saturday midnight to Sunday morning alone, no fewer than 817 operations were counted, the vast majority of which were directly related to the storms. In total, the Styrian fire brigades have had to be deployed almost a thousand times since the start of the erratic weather and there are around 3,000 men on duty.
Trees on roofs of houses, carports and power lines
All parts of the country were affected, most recently the districts of Graz-Umwelt, Hartberg and Weiz. In contrast to the hard-hit Lower Austria, for example, it is not the amount of rain that causes the greatest problems, but the heavy storm. Fallen trees blocked roads and paths, fell on roofs, carports and power lines and sometimes caused serious damage.
People are trapped in vehicles
Particularly dramatic: in some cases people were trapped in their vehicles after trees had fallen on the road or on the vehicle. All those affected were brought to safety; there are currently no reports of injuries. In the Graz area, the fire brigade had to clear the way for rescue operations; here too, fallen trees had blocked the road.
25,000 households without electricity
Despite the constant use of Energie Steiermark, the power outages increased hour by hour; at peak times, around 25,000 households were reportedly without power. Spokesman Urs Harnik reported that it was a real “Sisyphean job”, especially since each cutting line had to be repaired individually. A maximum of 120 specialists are present at the same time.
First mudflows caused by rain masses in the “Nordstau”
The largest amounts of water were in the north of the state. In the “Nordstau” from Liezen via Leoben to Brück-Mürzzuschlag, pumping and retaining work had to be carried out due to the persistent rain, and in the Liezen district, individual smaller mudflows were reported.
This article is constantly being updated.
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.
