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TERRORISM

Swift says filled with ‘fear’, ‘guilt’ after Vienna terror threat

Pop megastar Taylor Swift on Wednesday broke her silence about the cancellation of three Vienna concerts over an alleged suicide attack plot, saying the incident filled her with "fear" and "guilt."

Swift says filled with 'fear', 'guilt' after Vienna terror threat
US singer and songwriter Taylor Swift performs on stage at the Groupama Stadium as part of The Eras Tour, in Decines-Charpieu, eastern France, on June 2, 2024. (Photo by JEFF PACHOUD / AFP)

“Having our Vienna shows cancelled was devastating. The reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many had planned on coming to those shows,” the American said in a post on the social media platform Instagram.

The Vienna shows, part of the European leg of Swift’s record-breaking “Eras” tour, were cancelled after authorities warned of a terror plot by sympathizers of the Islamic State armed group.

READ ALSO: Taylor Swift Vienna concerts – What we know about the terror threat

Police have detained three suspects over the alleged attack threat, with the United States saying it shared intelligence to assist in the investigation.

The main suspect, a 19-year-old Austrian with North Macedonian roots, had allegedly confessed, saying he “intended to carry out an attack using explosives and knives,” according to Austrian domestic intelligence agency (DSN) head Omar Haijawi-Pirchner.

In the social media post Wednesday, Swift thanked the authorities.

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift)

“I was also so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives. I was heartened by the love and unity I saw in the fans who banded together,” she said.

The European leg of Swift’s sold-out tour began in Paris in May and has taken in Sweden, Portugal, Spain, Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Germany and Poland.

READ ALSO: What you need to know about the Coldplay concerts in Vienna

It concluded on Tuesday with five shows at London’s Wembley stadium.

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WEATHER

How the torrential rain forecast this weekend could impact Vienna

Vienna's sewer network and public transport are facing several days of heavy rain. While the city is well-prepared, the continuous downpours could push the system to its limits.

How the torrential rain forecast this weekend could impact Vienna

Vienna is bracing for several days of persistent rain as part of the extreme weather sweeping across Austria. 

While other regions face severe flooding and massive downpours, the Austrian capital is also under pressure. Continuous rainfall is expected to test its sewer system, underground transport, and flood defences. 

How much can Vienna handle before its infrastructure is overwhelmed?

Vienna’s sewer system put to the test

The torrential rains began on Thursday and are expected to continue until Sunday, possibly longer. Josef Gottschall from Wien Kanal has told Die Presse that Vienna’s sewer system is prepared, with all pumps and reservoirs ready to manage the heavy rainfall. 

READ ALSO: Floods and avalanches: Austria set for weekend of extreme weather

The system is designed to handle major rain events, but the report added that the forecasted 150 to 200 litres per square metre of rain will stretch the city’s capabilities.

While the city’s advanced sewer management system uses hydrodynamic models and real-time weather data from 35 stations to control water flow, Gottschall warns that no sewer network is built to handle extreme floods. “Even if money were no object,” he says, the scale of potential flooding in Vienna could surpass what the infrastructure is designed to manage.

In addition to the sewer system, the city’s underground rail network is under close surveillance. Wiener Linien is monitoring the situation and is ready to react quickly if flooding occurs, the company has said. Measures like sandbags and dam beams could be deployed at subway stations, while buses may be rerouted if necessary.

Although flooding in the underground system is not currently expected, prolonged rainfall could still cause issues in low-lying areas of the city.

Security on the Danube River

While not expected to overflow into the city, Vienna’s famed Danube River has prompted authorities to impose a “swim ban” on the Neue Donau (New Danube). Built-in the 1970s to protect the city from catastrophic flooding, the New Danube has often proven its worth by averting major disasters for Vienna.

The New Danube channel was constructed to divert excess water away from the main river, preventing floods in the city. When water levels rise in the central Danube, gates are released to allow water into the channel. 

READ MORE: ​​How the New Danube protects Vienna from catastrophic floods

Will Vienna see flooding?

While Vienna is unlikely to face the same level of flooding as other regions of Austria, the continuous rain poses a significant challenge. 

The city’s advanced flood protection and sewer systems are designed to handle heavy rainfall, but experts warn that if the forecasts are accurate, some flooding in the underground rail system and lower districts may be unavoidable.

READ NEXT: Do I need to empty my ‘Keller’ in Austria if torrential rain is forecast?

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