After heavy rain

Several slopes in the Ländle region have started to slide

The landslide slope in Bildstein near the settlement area.(Bild: Maurice Shourot)

The heavy rain and its aftermath: Due to the immense amounts of rainfall, several slopes in Vorarlberg have started to slide. In Bildstein, a mudslide has occurred right on the edge of the settlement, and the landslide slope in Hörbranz, which is now known throughout the state, is also unstable again.

First things first: as things stand at the moment, no houses are in acute danger. Not even those buildings in Bildstein in the immediate vicinity of which a landslide has occurred. However, the access road had to be temporarily closed for safety reasons, but has since been reopened to traffic.

Hörbranz at risk again
The slope in Hörbranz, where a huge landslide occurred in April last year, is also moving again. At the upper measuring points, there were extreme settlements and movements of up to ten meters, state geologist Eva Vigl told Radio Vorarlberg. Fortunately, the mud masses could be diverted away from the settlement area and the emergency services seem to have the situation under control.

Nine mudslides 
A total of nine mudslides have been counted in the past two days, including one in Alberschwende, where a road was displaced, and the access road to the Pfänderbahn mountain station had to be closed due to a landslide. Fortunately, these were only superficial landslides.

The relocated road in Alberschwende.(Bild: Maurice Shourot)

Due to the saturated soils, it is to be hoped that no large amounts of precipitation will fall over Vorarlberg in the next two weeks - otherwise the situation could quickly worsen again.