According to Vienna’s Mayor Michael Ludwig, the flood situation in Vienna has eased significantly in the past 24 hours. The water levels of the Danube, Vienna River, Danube Canal and Liesing are falling noticeably, and the water is receding in affected flood areas within the city. A clear improvement can be seen particularly in the area of the Vienna Woods, the Vienna River and the Liesing. Mayor Ludwig reported this at a press conference today, Monday, following a meeting of the Vienna crisis team.
However, together with Chancellor Karl Nehammer, Ludwig urged caution and stated that a complete all-clear could not yet be given. A smaller, weaker flood wave is expected until tomorrow, said Ludwig. “However, a sustained easing of tension can be expected from Wednesday,” said the Mayor of Vienna.
Ludwig thanked above all the dedicated emergency services for their “tireless work” in the last few days: “I am very proud of how we managed things in Vienna.” According to Ludwig, this is due on the one hand to the forward-looking flood protection of the past decades, but also in the rapid measures that were taken to deal with the flooding. “Vienna can flood,” said the Vienna city boss. He also thanked the good cooperation between the federal and state governments.
According to Mayor Ludwig, around 300 additional Wiener Linien employees are currently deployed throughout Vienna to carry out safety measures or to support rail replacement services. The fire department has been under a lot of pressure since the storm began and has completed 2,900 missions so far. There are currently 500 firefighters on duty around the clock, said Ludwig. Constant monitoring of the situation using drones is also being carried out. The Vienna professional rescue service has recorded 17 missions with ten slightly injured people since the storm began, mainly due to falls or accidents on rain-soaked streets, Ludwig gave another summary.
Public transport continues to be restricted, parks closed
With regard to public transport, which was severely affected by the floods, the Mayor of Vienna said that public transport in Vienna would remain restricted for the time being. Partial closures of the U2, U3, U4 and U6 subway lines remain in place. However, Ludwig promised that the connections could be fully available again by Wednesday, depending on the weather conditions. A replacement rail service has already been set up and, where possible, lines have been condensed. “All but ten of the 3,000 stops are back online,” said Ludwig, praising the quick action and good preparation on the part of Wiener Linien. There were particular challenges at the U2 construction site in Pilgramgasse, where there was a massive influx of water.
For private transport, there are only smaller partial closures along the Danube and the Danube Canal. Important traffic axes such as the western entrance, the Erdberger Lände and the Franzensbrücke are now accessible again, explained the city boss. The police recorded a total of 241 storm operations, mostly to protect and support the emergency services.
The approximately 1,000 parks in Vienna’s city gardens are currently closed, said Ludwig. This measure serves to protect the population, as the ground is heavily softened by the large amounts of rain. This affects the stability of the trees.
Supply secured
Ludwig also emphasized that the security of supply for gas, electricity and district heating in Vienna was never at risk. Although there have been isolated power outages since the storm began, most of the 290 reported disruptions have already been resolved. The water supply is also stable, with the drinking water storage level at 60 percent.
Mayor Ludwig also thanked the Austrian Armed Forces for their help: Two companies stationed in Vienna with a total of 150 soldiers are ready for possible deployments in Lower Austria or the eastern region.
Finally, Ludwig emphasized that in a situation like this, “cooperation across federal state borders is important.” The city will continue to remain vigilant and monitor the situation closely. (End) cr