Heavy storms trigger widespread emergency response across Austria

Heavy storms swept through parts of Austria on Friday evening, prompting extensive operations for fire departments across multiple states. In Upper Austria, approximately 2,500 firefighters from 130 units were deployed to handle around 220 incidents, according to the state fire brigade command. The sudden and intense weather front also strained water rescue services in Salzburg, which responded to several emergencies simultaneously.

The districts of Braunau, Grieskirchen, Ried, and Schärding in Upper Austria were particularly affected. Firefighters dealt with storm damage, including uprooted trees and widespread flooding of buildings, streets, and basements. Meanwhile, in Salzburg, the storm front led to several emergencies on lakes. A sailboat capsized on Wallersee, and several surfers at Wolfgangsee encountered difficulties but managed to reach the shore on their own, as reported by water rescue services. Floating debris also prompted a thorough search of the Wolfgangsee area, though no one was found to be in distress.

A brief but intense thunderstorm also hit parts of southeastern Styria and southern Burgenland, triggering numerous fire department responses. The Feldbach and Radkersburg areas registered nearly 40 incident sites, with 63 fire departments and several hundred personnel responding to a total of 67 storm-related incidents across Styria. In Burgenland, over a hundred firefighters worked until after midnight. The primary tasks involved clearing uprooted and fallen trees and unblocking roads. Several buildings sustained damage from strong gusts of wind, including a house roof in Styria that was hit by a tree, and partial roof damage was reported in both states.