The civil protection warning for the affected communities of Treffen am Ossiacher See and Arriach in the Villach-Land district was still in effect at noon. It might soon be lifted for parts of meetings, civil protection officer Daniel Fellner (SPÖ) said following an extraordinary meeting of the state government in front of journalists. The population there would then no longer be asked to stay in the house.
Progress has been made in restoring the infrastructure. Only a few households were left without electricity. The mobile phone worked very well once more. There were still problems with the water supply, tap water, if available, had to be boiled due to the risk of germs. Progress was made with the road infrastructure, but it was still a few days away from releasing the partially destroyed roads through the neighboring valley and to Arriach for civil traffic. There were still numerous damaged areas, around 50 trucks and excavators were in use. The Afritzer Bach had still not returned to the creek bed when it branched off to Arriach.
A structure was created on Friday to organize the help of volunteers who do not belong to an emergency organization. “We are grateful for any support and it’s great that so many people want to help. But it’s extremely important that the volunteer help is coordinated and as safe as possible,” said the district governor of Villach-Land, Bernd Riepan, in a broadcast of the state press service. At the entrance to Treffen, volunteers can report to the fire engine with the inscription “Volunteer Help”. You should bring sturdy shoes, work gloves, sun protection and a hat.
In the state government, representatives of the opposition discussed measures on Friday, the main focus is on financial aid for the affected communities and private individuals. A letter is sent to the federal government with a request for financial resources in addition to the disaster fund. How much money it will need was still unclear. Governor Peter Kaiser (SPÖ) reported that Defense Minister Claudia Tanner (ÖVP) had promised further support from the army.
