Storms in Austria and Italy have caused visible damage. Fire brigades were deployed. Pictures document the extent of the damage.
Munich – The Austrian Severe Weather Center (UWZ) issued a warning for half of Austria yesterday (7 August). The extent of the warning shows: rightly so. Enormous thunderstorms with large amounts of rain in a short space of time, hail and sometimes stormy gusts covered the country, also hitting the Italian South Tyrol.
Austria storm: Pictures show raging floods
In Tyrol (Austria) it hit the Wörgl area and the Wildschönau. The Hahntennjochstraße was closed for around two hours as a precaution due to thunderstorms. The Wörgl fire brigade reported a “violent storm front with heavy rain and hail” over the greater city area. In the afternoon, the emergency services were alerted to several water damages in the city area, they explained. IPPEN.MEDIA.
“In total, 27 cellars had to be pumped out. In several places, real lakes also formed because the water masses could not flow into the sewer system,” said a fire department spokesman. In this context, several manhole covers had to be opened and/or cleared of branches. Almost 30 members with seven vehicles were on duty from 2:20 p.m. until shortly before 5 p.m.
Fire brigades in constant use – places in Austria under water
How heute.at reported that fire brigades were in constant operation in the evening hours, especially in the worst affected areas of Liezen, Bruck/Mürzzuschlag, Feldkirchen and Wolfsberg. Thousands of households were apparently without electricity, trees fell on federal roads and motorways, blocking traffic. In Carinthia, according to the report, mudslides blocked the Millstätter Bundesstraße (B 98).
There were also severe effects in Styria. The municipality of Stanz im Mürztal, with less than 2,000 inhabitants, was hit hard. “Alarm due to heavy rainfall,” reported the local volunteer fire brigade and had to send out 17 men. Pictures show raging floods near a football field.
Italy also affected: mudslide in South Tyrol
But the storms were also felt in South Tyrol and other regions of northern Italy. Here, too, trees were torn out of the ground when heavy rain and strong winds set in. According to the volunteer fire department, a tree fell on three cars in the parking lot of the cable car to Verdins in the afternoon. Ray reported that the railway line between Merano and Bolzano had to be temporarily closed due to branches on the tracks. In July, trees fell on a cable car. A week ago, storms devastated parts of the Lake Garda region.
There were also terrible images from Pflersch. There, rubble and mud were released due to the heavy rainfall. The Pflersch volunteer fire department is speaking of alert level 4. “We were called to a mudslide this afternoon. Due to the heavy rainfall, material from a side ditch came loose and blocked a pedestrian path. This led to a small blockage in the valley stream, which had to be monitored.” Pedestrian paths were closed because other bodies of water were also carrying material.
Weather forecast for Austria
There are also numerous warnings for Austrian regions for Thursday. The severe weather center sees a cold front approaching the Alpine region. Showers and thunderstorms are to be expected.
- Thursday (8 August): Severe weather warnings for almost all parts of Austria.
- Friday (August 9): Sunny and dry in large parts. Only in the southern mountains and hills will there be isolated local heat thunderstorms.
- Saturday (10 August): High summer temperatures (around 30 degrees).
- Sunday (11 August): High summer temperatures. There is a risk of local heat storms in the mountains.
Source: uwz.de
But then things are supposed to get better. The forecast for the weekend even points to heat. With temperatures above 30 degrees predicted, outdoor pools, lakes and rivers are tempting.
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