Alarm at the campsite

Families were up to their necks in water: rescued!

Caravans and cars sank into the water during the night. The water level was still high hours later.(Bild: FF Rechnitz)

Dramatic scenes unfolded in Burg in southern Burgenland in the middle of the night on Sunday. Heavy rain showers completely flooded the campsite in a very short space of time. Entire families were caught in the flood. The fire department launched a rescue operation.

The storms that rained down on the Oberwart district last weekend and caused extensive damage had particularly dramatic effects in the tranquil village of Burg with its 200 inhabitants.

Alarm triggered
At around 3.30 a.m. on Sunday, it was pouring with rain. Streams swelled. The heavy rain showers completely flooded the campsite within a very short space of time. The water level soon reached the roofs of the parked cars.

Caravans and cars sank into the water during the night. The water level was still high hours later.(Bild: FF Rechnitz)

The campsite in Burg was completely flooded. The guests were stranded.(Bild: FF Rechnitz)

Almost two dozen guests and visitors were surprised by the flood in their tents and caravans. They were stranded. The alerted volunteers from the Rechnitz fire department quickly came to the aid of the children, women and men in distress.

All safe
Using boats, all those affected were rescued one by one, brought to safety and cared for. "By 6 o'clock in the morning, the worst was over," was the report after the operation.