Flood protection construction

The terrible flood drama should not be repeated

The whole of Lavamünd was flooded in 2012: People are still afraid of such scenes today.(Bild: Land Kärnten)

Flood protection construction prevented damage amounting to 25 million euros throughout Carinthia last year. This is why more money is to be invested.

Heavy rain that floods cellars, trees thrown over power lines and roads and onto houses by storms, mudslides that destroy everything on their way through buildings, people robbed of their possessions by the storm: Natural disasters have often occurred in recent years. What is still visible? What fear remains?

We must not forget one thing: People are still afraid. Often all it takes is a clap of thunder and nerves are frayed.

Lavamünds Bürgermeister Wolfgang Gallant

The whole of Lavamünd was flooded in 2012. In the meantime, the flood protection construction on the Drau and Lavant rivers has already been implemented, as reported in the "Kärntner Krone" newspaper. But even after last year's storms, the damage in the market town was horrendous. Around one million euros were caused by landslides and damaged roads in August. Reason enough for Provincial Councillor Daniel Fellner to look back on the catastrophic summer in the municipality that was massively affected last decade. "A drama like this will not happen again."

The flood protection construction on the Drau and Lavant rivers cost 23 million euros. Mayor Wolfgang Gallant and LR Daniel Fellner at the Lavantspitz.(Bild: Gerlinde Schager)

Erich Zdovc, Stephan Schober, Johann Gallopp (from left).(Bild: Gerlinde Schager)

The cycle path is integrated.(Bild: EVELYN HRONEK)

The meter-high protective walls prevented dramatic flooding last year. Fellner: "This prevented damage amounting to two million euros." In Lavamünd alone, mind you. Massive construction measures even prevented damage of 25 million euros throughout Carinthia in the disaster year 2023.

970 millimetres per year

The annual amount of rainwater is usually around 970 millimetres. A third of this amount was measured in the upper Gailtal valley in October 2023 alone.

Some of the ten retention basins built from Villach to the Lavanttal were full to the brim. Fellner: "But the protective construction must continue." Looking back, there was above-average rainfall in the previous year, which caused landslides, mudslides and flooding. The head of protective water management, Stephan Schober: "The Sucherbach near Eberndorf has already saved around three million euros in damage thanks to its retention basin."

The devastating storms of 2023 caused considerable damage, especially in the southern Carinthia region. "We cannot assume that such flood events will decrease." A lot of money will therefore continue to be invested in protective structures.