River levels fall

Normality returns after floods

The Danube in Linz on Tuesday.(Bild: Dostal Harald)

After the floods in Upper Austria on Tuesday, the clean-up work has already begun if normality is to be restored quickly. The river levels continued to fall over the course of Wednesday.

"Thank goodness everyone got off lightly," says Petra Riffert, Managing Director of Donau Oberösterreich Tourismus, with relief. And she is already looking ahead again. "As soon as the water receded, the municipalities and their fire departments started cleaning up. The drainage chains always work perfectly after a flood," says Riffert.

Water level down by one meter
She is confident that most of the Danube cycle path will be open to traffic tomorrow, Thursday. The entire path should be clear again by the weekend at the latest. The Danube should also be reopened for shipping in the coming days. Traffic was closed throughout Austria on Tuesday due to the high water levels.

The ships had to find shelter in a port of refuge, but the passengers were able to stay on the ships. At midday on Wednesday, the Danube had a level of 607 centimeters in Linz - the highest level was 712.

652,000 euros for protection
In order to be protected in the future, politicians are investing EUR 652,000 in flood protection for the Ars Electronica Center. "In addition to raising the embankment beams by a further 1.40 meters, floor slabs in this area will also be additionally secured, windows will be made water pressure-tight and the pumping system will be renewed," explains City Councillor Dietmar Prammer.