How southern Austria is battling flooding after days of heavy rain
Flooded areas of Austria – particularly Carinthia in the south bordering Italy and Slovenia – will likely have to wait until the weekend to see any relief from the rain that’s been hitting the country steadily since the beginning of the month.
Emergency crews in Carinthia are particularly concerned about the Gurksee and Wörthersee lakes – the latter of which has the state capital of Klagenfurt on its eastern shore.
Both are at 30-year highs already and could go even higher with more rain in the forecast until the weekend. Boats have been ordered off the water and the army and Red Cross are on standby just in case.
The flooding situation remains precarious in Carinthia, but emergency services believe the worst has passed, with the water having gone down in areas outside of the two lakes and the weekend’s forecasted sunshine meaning an end is in sight.
Carinthia has seen mudslides wash out roads and flood residences. Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes in the past week, while one man died.
Emergency services have also had to close several roads in the area due to washouts, making those roads impassable and jamming traffic on those still in service.
Wir müssen den Betroffenen des Hochwassers im Süden Österreichs nun rasch helfen 🙏 DANKE ❤️ https://t.co/YH0e5sj4Tu#Überschwemmung #Hochwasser #ÖHÖ #ÖsterreichHilftÖsterreich #WirHelfen pic.twitter.com/gR56pRaoB0
— Caritas Österreich (@CaritasAustria) August 7, 2023
Neighbouring Styria is already seeing some relief after more than 400 mudslides there. Water levels in the Sur River started to drop on Tuesday. While authorities have downgraded alerts in Styria, residents are still advised to use caution and dozens of homes remain evacuated.
The entire country should see the rain clear and sunny weather return by the weekend, according to forecasters, finally bringing relief to flood-hit areas.
READ ALSO: Calmer weather forecast for Austria after record rainfall and floods
Neighbouring Slovenia has also been battling torrential rain and extreme flooding in recent days, with authorities there saying it is the worst natural disaster the country has seen.
A clean-up is underway and rescuers have been trying to reach flooded areas in the north of the country.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday said his country was sending emergency workers, expressing "dismay" at the "terrible flood catastrophe in Slovenia and Austria".
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Emergency crews in Carinthia are particularly concerned about the Gurksee and Wörthersee lakes – the latter of which has the state capital of Klagenfurt on its eastern shore.
Both are at 30-year highs already and could go even higher with more rain in the forecast until the weekend. Boats have been ordered off the water and the army and Red Cross are on standby just in case.
The flooding situation remains precarious in Carinthia, but emergency services believe the worst has passed, with the water having gone down in areas outside of the two lakes and the weekend’s forecasted sunshine meaning an end is in sight.
Carinthia has seen mudslides wash out roads and flood residences. Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes in the past week, while one man died.
Emergency services have also had to close several roads in the area due to washouts, making those roads impassable and jamming traffic on those still in service.
Wir müssen den Betroffenen des Hochwassers im Süden Österreichs nun rasch helfen 🙏 DANKE ❤️ https://t.co/YH0e5sj4Tu#Überschwemmung #Hochwasser #ÖHÖ #ÖsterreichHilftÖsterreich #WirHelfen pic.twitter.com/gR56pRaoB0
— Caritas Österreich (@CaritasAustria) August 7, 2023
Neighbouring Styria is already seeing some relief after more than 400 mudslides there. Water levels in the Sur River started to drop on Tuesday. While authorities have downgraded alerts in Styria, residents are still advised to use caution and dozens of homes remain evacuated.
The entire country should see the rain clear and sunny weather return by the weekend, according to forecasters, finally bringing relief to flood-hit areas.
READ ALSO: Calmer weather forecast for Austria after record rainfall and floods
Neighbouring Slovenia has also been battling torrential rain and extreme flooding in recent days, with authorities there saying it is the worst natural disaster the country has seen.
A clean-up is underway and rescuers have been trying to reach flooded areas in the north of the country.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday said his country was sending emergency workers, expressing "dismay" at the "terrible flood catastrophe in Slovenia and Austria".
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