Several operations

Infernal thunderstorm hit Kleinwalsertal

The idyllic Kleinwalsertal was in for a real storm on Friday evening.(Bild: Feuerwehr)

Scenes straight out of an apocalyptic doomsday movie unfolded in Kleinwalsertal on Friday evening: Within minutes, a devastating thunderstorm had rolled in and the damage was considerable.

Storms, heavy rain and hail - all at the same time. The storm that raged in Kleinwalsertal on Friday evening was literally a natural phenomenon. But one with a devastating effect: several trees fell onto the roads, roofs were covered, cellars flooded and several parked vehicles were demolished by swirling branches. Traffic also came to a complete standstill in places: The Kleinwalsertal road (L201) was temporarily blocked due to a fallen tree, and a mudslide had also displaced by far the most important traffic link in the valley.

Several roofs were damaged.(Bild: Feuerwehr)

The worst affected was the village of Hirschegg, where the Mühlebach burst its banks - it was only thanks to the joint efforts of firefighters (the firefighters from Oberstdorf in Bavaria also helped) and local residents that the water was prevented from entering the surrounding houses. Within just under 20 minutes, the rescue and fire department control center received 18 alarms.

As quickly as the storm arrived, it quickly disappeared again. Fortunately, no people were injured - although a group of hikers who had been caught in the storm had to be rescued by the mountain rescue service.

Storms in other parts of the country too
There was also lightning and thunder in other parts of Vorarlberg, albeit not on such an infernal scale: in the Walgau municipality of Nenzing, a tree crashed onto a car and a gust of wind blew down a lamppost. And in Schoppernau, the fire department had to be called out because a fallen tree had made the Bregenzerwaldstrasse (L200) impassable.