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FLOODS

From transport to bars: When will ‘normal life’ resume in Vienna?

Vienna was still recovering on Tuesday after the weekend's catastrophic floods with public transport looking to resume normal service and businesses along the Danube Canal cleaning up and hoping to reopen.

Published: 17 September 2024 15:08 CEST
From transport to bars: When will 'normal life' resume in Vienna?
The confluence of the swollen Danube Canal (from left) and the Wienfluss river near the Urania Observatory in Vienna, Austria, is pictured on September 15, 2024. - A fireman in northeastern Austria has died in flooding as the country was hit by torrential rains that have lashed central and eastern Europe, authorities said. (Photo by Alex HALADA / AFP)

Vienna’s flood situation improved overnight as water levels in key areas receded, allowing clean-up efforts to begin after the severe floods and rains that hit part of Austria since late last week, Austrian media has reported. 

The Vienna River, which reached a peak of 3.90 metres at the Kennedybrücke measuring point, dropped to 90 centimetres early on Tuesday. Retention basins in the Auhof area, which were nearly full over the weekend, were almost empty by Tuesday, although the Wienerwaldsee reservoir was still draining. In the meantime, the Danube was still at a stable level of 6.5 metres and did not pose a threat to the city.

READ ALSO: Austria’s floodwaters subside but recovery set to take months

Sunny weather in the early hours of Tuesday brought some relief, but authorities cautioned that the consequences of the floods were still being felt across Vienna. 

Parks throughout the city had been temporarily closed due to the risk of falling trees and other flood-related hazards. Large green areas, including Lainzer Tiergarten and Steinhofgründe, were also off-limits as checks were conducted to assess damage. It remains unclear how long these closures will last.

A video on X, formerly known as Twitter, shows the strength of the Vienna River during the floods. The bridge holds part of the U4 metro line.

Metro services resume partial service

Vienna’s public transport services were also still not back to normal service on Tuesday. 

Several underground lines, including the U2, U3, U4, and U6, were partially suspended due to flooding and water damage. 

Wiener Linien, the city’s transport operator, reported that crews began removing temporary flood barriers and sandbags early on Tuesday morning. The U6 overhead line was also undergoing repairs, with full service expected to resume by Wednesday.

While trams on lines 40 and 41 returned to operation, other metro lines were still undergoing safety checks. 

The U4 was running only between Heiligenstadt and Friedensbrücke, while the U3 had resumed partial service between Ottakring and Schlachthausgasse. Service on the U2 line remained limited between Seestadt and Taborstraße. 

Alexandra Reinagl, Managing Director of Wiener Linien, confirmed that the goal was to restore full metro operations by Wednesday.

READ ALSO: COMPARE: How much do Austria’s political parties care about the climate crisis?

Businesses and social life hit

Along the Danube Canal, several businesses and bars experienced significant flooding. 

Strandbar Herrmann, a popular riverside venue, was hit hard by the floodwaters, leaving behind mud and debris. Owner Rudolf Konar told Der Standard that his bar was flooded by nearly a metre of water, with employees later working to clear the site and salvage equipment. 

Many of his staff come from the flood-affected regions of Lower Austria, making the clean-up process more difficult, he said

Despite the challenges, the Strandbar hoped to reopen by Wednesday. Other businesses along the Danube Canal and New Danube also started recovery efforts, though many remained closed as they assessed the damage. 

The Vienna Chamber of Commerce confirmed that “practically all” businesses in the area were flooded.

Emergency services on high alert

The city’s fire brigade reported a reduction in flood-related incidents, with the number of emergency calls dropping by a third since Monday morning. 

Despite this, there were still around 400 incidents of water entering basements, garages, and flooding roads. Fallen trees, many of which were discovered after the rain stopped, remained a significant concern.

Vienna’s fire brigade, which had been assisting in nearby Lower Austria, also noted that while the worst of the storm is over, the recovery process would take time. Emergency services continued to work at full capacity, clearing debris and pumping water from affected areas across the city.

READ ALSO: Will my Austrian home insurance cover storm damage?

Road closures and recovery in Lower Austria

Meanwhile, in Lower Austria, where the situation was still critical, disaster alerts continued to be in place. 

On Tuesday, more than 250 roads were still closed due to flooding and landslides, affecting key routes such as the Vienna outer ring motorway and the Westautobahn. Several districts, including St. Pölten, Bruck an der Leitha, and Tulln, have been particularly hard-hit. 

Evacuations were ongoing in several areas.

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CLIMATE CRISIS

How ‘dry floods’ pose a huge risk to the Austrian Alps

As temperatures rise in the Austrian Alps, a new type of flooding is emerging. Known as "dry floods," these events are driven by rapid snowmelt rather than rainfall, posing increasing risks to Alpine regions.

Published: 20 September 2024 17:20 CEST
How 'dry floods' pose a huge risk to the Austrian Alps

As climate change intensifies, “dry floods” (Trockene Hochwasser) are becoming more common in the Austrian Alps. 

These floods occur without the usual heavy rainfall, instead resulting from rapid snowmelt triggered by unusually high temperatures. Experts warn that the Alps are increasingly vulnerable to this form of flooding, which can wreak havoc on mountain villages.

What are “dry floods”?

Dry floods are caused by the swift melting of large snow accumulations, usually because of rising temperatures. 

As glaciers recede and snowmelt accelerates, regions can experience sudden, localised flooding. 

The melting snow flows into rivers and lakes, sometimes triggering flooding that is similar to the effects of heavy storms despite the lack of precipitation.

Impact on the Austrian Alps

In recent years, the Austrian Alps have experienced several instances of dry floods, including a major event in 2019 when Innsbruck was hit by severe flooding due to rapid snowmelt, broadcaster ORF reported. 

READ ALSO: How Austria plans to prevent future catastrophic floods

In 2024, although less extreme, similar floods have been reported, affecting regions such as the Inn River. While these floods do not always lead to significant downstream impacts, they pose serious risks to areas closer to the mountains.

Glacier researcher Andrea Fischer told ORF that one of the greatest dangers of dry floods is the formation of new glacial lakes. 

Large volumes of water can become trapped beneath or within as glaciers melt. If these lakes break free suddenly, they can unleash destructive floods, carrying debris and gravel down into Alpine valleys. Although rare, such events are highly destructive and can occur with little warning, posing a major threat to villages in the area.

While dry floods pose immediate dangers, Austria’s glaciers face long-term challenges. 

READ ALSO: Is skiing still possible on Austria’s glaciers?

Glacier melt accelerates

A recent report from the Austrian Alpine Club (OeAV) revealed a concern about the acceleration of glacial retreat across Austria. The study, which monitored 93 glaciers, found that they retreated by an average of 23.9 metres (78.4 feet) in 2023, marking the third-largest glacier melt since measurements began in 1891. 

This followed a record-breaking 2022, where glaciers shrank by an average of 28.7 metres (94.2 feet).

The Pasterze glacier, Austria’s largest, shrank by a staggering 203.5 metres, while the Rettenbachferner receded by 127 metres. The report warned that if extreme warming continues at the current rate, Austria’s glacial ice could disappear within 45 years.

The Alpine Club attributed the drastic glacial decline to late climate protection measures, emphasising the urgent need for action to mitigate further damage.

READ NEXT: Could Austria become ‘ice-free’ in the future?

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