Houses flood in Vienna as torrential rain continues to pound Austria capital

(15 Sep 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Vienna - 15 September 2024
1. Pan of man removing mud with shovel towards riverbank
2. Various of flooded street and driveway
3. Various of men shovelling and washing away mud
4. Various of crayfish on road
5. SOUNDBITE (German) Isabella Schifter, local resident:
“Luckily the water level has receded a bit in the past couple of hours. But of course all of us have groundwater in the basements – to the hips. The situation during the night and this morning was pretty dramatic. But luckily the firefighters have already given the all clear regarding the river. I am very relieved, that at least the river is not going to pose a danger to the houses anymore. But the groundwater is still a problem and we have no power.”
6. Woman inspecting flooded garage with car inside
7. Wide of flooded river
8. Tree in river
9. Pan of flooded river and trees
10. Gas tank and pipes in river
STORYLINE:
Torrential rain in Austria has caused the Wien River to flood basements and entire houses on the outskirts of Vienna.

Authorities evacuated several houses on Sunday as the river, which is usually little more than a small creek, burst its banks in western Vienna.

Local resident Isabella Schifter was lucky not to be evacuated, but the water in her basement reached “to the hips,” she said.

“Luckily the firefighters have already given the all clear regarding the river. I am very relieved, that at least the river is not going to pose a danger to the houses anymore. But the groundwater is still a problem and we have no power,” Schifter added.

Several subway lines were closed protectively as water flooded the train tracks in some locations.

The Danube island, which serves as a flood protection barrier for the city, is still holding strong and is expected to save the Austrian capital from the worst.

A firefighter died after “slipping on stairs” while pumping out a flooded basement in the town of Tulln, the head of the fire department of Lower Austria Dietmar Fahrafellner told reporters on Sunday.

Authorities declared the entire state of Lower Austria a disaster zone, while emergency personnel have so far evacuated 1,100 houses there.

AP Video shot by Philipp Jenne

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