The storm-induced flooding has now reached the federal capital. In Penzing, the Vienna River burst its banks in the Ludwiggasse area and houses were flooded. Some buildings can only be reached by boat. As the professional fire brigade announced, people were evacuated in the early morning hours.
The Vienna River had a water level of 2.26 meters in the area of the Kennedy Bridge at 09:00 on Sunday. At the same time, it was 50 centimeters the day before.
Metro operations significantly restricted
The scenario also had consequences for public transport. Wiener Linien had to significantly reduce its metro operations. The Vienna River had already reached a critical level during the night. The water level in the Danube Canal also rose enormously. Wiener Linien therefore felt compelled to take extensive protective measures on several metro lines.
Routes are secured with stop bars and sandbags
The threatened metro lines were protected from the incoming water with stop beams and sandbags. The metro operations had to be partially stopped. The U4 only ran between the stations Heiligenstadt and Friedensbrücke, the U6 initially ran between Floridsdorf and Westbahnhof and the stations Meidling and Siebenhirten. The U3 was stopped between the stations Rochusgasse and Simmering. “If possible, change to other lines as much as possible,” Wiener Linien asked public transport users.
A replacement bus service was set up on line U4 between the Hütteldorf and Karlsplatz stations. The stops can be found in the WienMobil app under “Company information” – “planned” – “U4 flood”. In addition, tram line D between Heiligenstadt and Karlsplatz is still available. Tram line 62 was extended to replace the U6 – until further notice it will run on the route Lainz – Meidling train station and the Margaretengurtel – Westbahnhof – Burggasse underground stations.
1100 operations in the city within a few hours
The persistent rain and sometimes hurricane-like storms took their toll on the Vienna fire brigade. Over the past few hours, more than 1,100 missions were completed in the Vienna city area. Dangerous situations had to be eliminated in the area of the Vienna River and the Liesingbach. Half of the deployments were due to precipitation, the other half to the storm. Fallen trees and broken branches had to be removed and the ingress of water into buildings, cellars and underground car parks had to be combated.
The level of the Vienna River and Liesingbach is a cause for concern
“The rising water level of the Vienna River and the Liesingbach in particular continues to pose a danger in this area,” said fire department spokesman Gerald Schimpf. The fire department still expects a very high deployment volume and has deployed additional personnel, Schimpf said. “Avoid unnecessary travel or spending time outdoors and stay away from flooding,” he appealed to the common sense of the people of Vienna.
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.
