After severe storms in Stuhlfelden: two houses uninhabitable, debris dams being dredged

Debris dams have top priority

Gebhard Neumayr pointed out that the existing protective structures had prevented worse outcomes. „Die bestehenden Verbauungen und Sperren haben in der vergangenen Nacht definitiv Schlimmeres verhindert und sich im Ernstfall bewährt. Ohne die Verbauungen wäre es etwa in Uttendorf zu einer Katastrophe gekommen“, said Neumayr. From the authorities' perspective, this gave the technical protective structures a central role in the damage assessment.

Meanwhile, cleanup operations are underway in several affected districts, including Kötschachtal and the city of Salzburg, where individual streets were also undermined by the water. Fire brigades are operating with heavy equipment, and excavators are clearing the clogged stream channels.

Mayors and the emergency command called on residents not to enter blocked-off areas and to leave their houses only via the designated routes for the time being. Temporary accommodation is being organized for the families affected by the two uninhabitable buildings; details are to follow during the course of the day.

Protective structures prevented worse outcomes

Weather services currently expect the situation to calm further, but warn of possible subsequent avalanches and landslides in the already saturated slopes of the Pinzgau and Pongau regions. According to local reports, individual properties in Bad Gastein were also affected.

In the state of Salzburg, the damage assessment is now being systematically recorded. The Zell am See district authority is coordinating the reports from the municipalities; the extent of the damage cannot yet be estimated. Whether the federal and state governments will provide financial assistance is also still open.

Situation in other locations in Pinzgau

According to the current state of knowledge, besides Stuhlfelden, primarily Uttendorf and individual districts of Bad Gastein are affected. Authorities say the cleanup work is likely to take several days, especially since the stream channels must first be completely cleared before an all-clear can be given.