White foam

Environmental alarm on the Krems after downpour

The white foam apparently originated from the paper mill near Nettingsdorf; it is still unclear whether it is harmful to the environment(Bild: Matthias Lauber/laumat.at)

A heavy downpour, which was accompanied by thunder and lightning, especially over the central region, triggered more than 60 call-outs to the fire departments. One of them stands out: An environmental alarm on the Krems river. White foam is floating here. The source seems to be clear, but it is still uncertain whether it is dangerous.

At 7 p.m., the Nettingsdorf fire department and the plant fire department of the paper mill received the first alarms for "environmental operation in water". The foam spreading across the Krems in Upper Austria is said to have come from there. It is gushing out of a large tower; one observer describes the foam as "as viscous as shaving foam".

Important question unanswered
Six fire departments are currently working to stop the spread and also to find out what the substance is. Whether it is toxic to the environment or decomposes easily. In any case, attempts are currently being made to stop the spread in order to keep the potential consequences as low as possible.

Thunderstorm cell over the central region
The first flooding operations after the temporary end of the heatwave started at 4 pm in Ansfelden, when a large thunderstorm cell moved over the central area from the southwest and emptied. Most of the operations involved flooded cellars and streets as well as fallen trees in Traun and Pasching. No injuries have been reported so far.