Clean-up work underway

New thunderstorms are approaching Styria again

Storms caused severe damage in Styria at the weekend(Bild: APA/STADTFEUERWEHR WEIZ)

After the severe storms in parts of Styria, the clean-up work continues on Sunday. The Austrian army is also deploying sappers from Carinthia, the power supply has been restored everywhere and some railroad lines are still closed until Monday. One firefighter was injured in Mettersdorf am Saßbach.

Storms and a storm caused severe damage in Styria on Thursday and Friday. Since Sunday morning, a further 55 disaster relief specialists from Villach Pioneer Battalion 1 have been deployed in addition to the 33 Styrian pioneers deployed so far.

Heavy equipment is being used to clear the blockages in the Teigitschgraben near Voitsberg. Two excavators with up to 20 tons and two crane trucks with a lifting capacity of up to 76 tons are available. Two medical teams from the Austrian Armed Forces are on site to provide first aid. The duration of the operation in the ditch could not yet be estimated.

Red Cross cared for stranded people at the station
The Red Cross had initially treated around 500 stranded passengers at the train station in Unzmarkt since Friday evening. Drinking water was provided, as well as snacks and sweets for children. Seven members of staff and an emergency doctor were on duty. The operation lasted until late into the night, with a total of 1,300 people being cared for. The operation officially ended at 11 a.m. on Sunday. 

The Red Cross team at Unzmarkt station(Bild: Rotes Kreuz)

Train routes closed until Sunday evening and Monday
The GKB train line between Söding-Mooskirchen and Köflach in Western Styria is expected to be closed until Monday, July 15 due to the storm damage. A rail replacement service with buses has been set up. 

The same applies to ÖBB's southern line in the Neumarkt area between Styria and Carinthia, which is closed for repair work. No journeys are possible until 7 p.m. on Sunday evening. A rail replacement service has also been set up here between Unzmarkt and Friesach.

Special trains run every 1.5 hours between Bruck/Mur and Unzmarkt or Klagenfurt and Friesach and supplement the regular connections with the stops of the long-distance trains. According to ÖBB, the journey will take around an hour longer and there will be limited space available. The power supply has been restored throughout the country.

Firefighter (45) injured
A 45-year-old man was injured on Saturday evening during clearing work in Mettersdorf am Saßbach. He was hit by a tree. A firefighter (27) had already been hit by a falling tree while working in Krems, a settlement in Voitsberg, on Friday.

Weather remains hot and thundery
On Monday it will remain hot in the south of Styria at 29 to 34 degrees, in the north in the mountains the tendency to thunderstorms is low. The risk of thunderstorms will increase again on Tuesday, says Sebastian Koblinger from the Ubimet weather service. "In Upper Styria and the hilly regions, local thunderstorms could be severe."

The situation is similar on Wednesday, with downpours also expected in the south on Thursday.