Last August, large regions of the Czech Republic, of southern and eastern Germany and also of Austria were hit by huge floods.

Since human beings have been recording weather conditions, such terrible floodings have not been seen in Central Europe. After three days of heavy rains soils seemed to be sealed and could not absorb the waters anymore. A third of the average annual rain came down on one single day! The areas around the small town of Schwertberg in Upper Austria, along the Kamp river and along the Danube in Lower Austria have been flooded even twice within just a few days. St. Pölten, Krems and the famous Wachau valley were also affected, and the Old Town of Salzburg was in danger to be flooded, too, whereas the capital of Vienna was not concerned so far. Burgenland was flooded sparely, there were only incidents in Stoob and Lockenhaus (Central Burgenland). You can escape from fire, but you can’t run away from water.

200.000 people were hit very hard, as they lost their homes and have to be sheltered anywhere else. There are even two small villages probably going to be deserted by their inhabitants, who don’t want to take the risk to stay in a region any longer, which can be flooded almost every year. Nobody could imagine before, that dams along the Danube and the Kamp river could burst, but they did.

Farmers suffer of enormous crop losses, although most of the harvest had been got in just a few days before the flood came. Fruit, potatoes, corn and sunflowers grow in these areas.
Some thousands of voluntary fire brigades and 12.000 soldiers of the National Army were helping in the affected areas, joined by thousands of volunteers from all over Austria pumping out the water from the flooded basements. Those who could not help working and cleaning up gave money: more than 50 millions of Euros (50 millions Dollars)!!

The disaster was even worse in Germany. Especially the Saxon areas around Magdeburg and Dresden were inundated. The water-level of the Elbe has been recorded since 1050 (!), almost a thousand years, but has never before reached the level of these days.
The damage in Austria caused by the catastrophic flood is about 7 billions Euros (which is also about 7 billions Dollars). At least, eight people died.

Though the Austrian government and the federal governments of Lower and Upper Austria gave financial aid to the victims of the flood, it is very important, too, to improve protection against a future catastrophe like this. And we also have to admit, that living by a river is still a risk in the 21st century.

Mag. Walter Dujmovits, jr.