Lower Austria sees evacuations, rising death toll after severe floods

After heavy rainfall on Monday, seven villages in the Tullnerfeld region of Lower Austria were evacuated due to severe flooding. Other affected areas included the Kamptal and along the Pielach. The death toll from the floods rose to four, and the weather is expected to improve on Tuesday.

Lower Austria, declared a disaster area, saw constant emergency operations, with three more deaths reported on Monday, including a 70-year-old in Untergrafendorf and an 80-year-old in Höbersdorf. A man’s body was also recovered from the Klosterneuburg lido, and police are investigating the cause of death. A firefighter had already died on Sunday in Rust during a flood operation, and eight others were injured.

Since the flooding began, a civil defence alarm has been triggered 51 times. On Tuesday morning, 26 municipalities or cadastral communities were inaccessible due to the flooding, ten of them in the district of Melk and also in the districts of St. Pölten, Bruck an der Leitha, Tulln, Scheibbs, and Lilienfeld. In some cases, only individual residential areas were affected. Emergency shelters were set up, with over 300 people still housed in Tulln’s exhibition hall.

At night, 2,400 households were without electricity; in the Tullnerfeld region, 800 households were shut down locally for safety reasons in consultation with EVN and the mayors. Twenty-two communities were without drinking water, mainly in the Krems and St. Pölten area, and 14 communities were without sewage systems.

While the weather is expected to clear up, allowing the sun to return, evacuations remain in place for now, with discussions on next steps set to take place.

Austria allocates €300 million in disaster aid amid severe flooding

In response to widespread flooding in Austria, Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) announced an initial €300 million in disaster aid. The funds drawn from the disaster fund could be increased if necessary. The fund is supported by income and corporation tax revenues, with additional federal contributions in extreme cases.

The State Crisis and Disaster Management Centre (SKKM) convened to focus on stabilisation, with efforts prioritising evacuations, dam security, and power supply restoration, especially in Lower Austria, Upper Austria, and Styria.

The Austrian Armed Forces deployed 300 soldiers for rescue and reconnaissance missions. Nehammer and Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens) warned of potential further rainfall, urging residents to avoid unnecessary travel and remain in work-from-home schemes.

Teenager suspected of killing 36-year-old brother in Styria

A violent crime in Kindberg, Upper Styria, resulted in the death of a 36-year-old man on Monday. 

His 14-year-old brother is the prime suspect, according to the police. The incident occurred around 2:00 pm, and the teenager fled the scene but was arrested shortly after.

Heimo Kohlbacher, a spokesperson for the Styrian Provincial Police, confirmed that the suspect would be questioned. No details about the murder weapon were released for investigative reasons. Both the victim and the suspect, Austrian nationals, lived in the same house where the crime took place. The motive remains unclear.

Suspect identified in suspected arson at Upper Austria asylum centre

Investigators have identified a suspect in connection with the fire at an asylum centre in Schönau im Mühlkreis, Upper Austria, last week.

The fire, which broke out last week in a former guesthouse housing 16 refugees, is believed to have been started deliberately. The Linz public prosecutor’s office spokesperson has not yet disclosed the motive.

Six people were hospitalised with suspected smoke inhalation. Investigators found three distinct fire sources and believe liquid fuels stored in the building were used as accelerants. The suspect is not thought to be linked to right-wing extremists or asylum seekers.

Adidas shuts down Runtastic in Austria by 2025

Adidas is shutting down the Runtastic offices in Pasching, Salzburg, and Vienna, affecting around 170 employees. The decision follows previous job cuts and the discontinuation of the “Adidas Training” app. Runtastic’s running app, now branded as “Adidas Running,” will be managed from other Adidas locations in Herzogenaurach, Amsterdam, and Zaragoza. Employees were informed of the closures, which will happen gradually by mid-2025 and will have the option to apply for positions at other Adidas sites.

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