2023-12-22 08:33:33
The storm “Zoltan” led to numerous fire brigade operations in parts of Austria between Thursday evening and Friday morning. In Salzburg, a tree fell on a passing trolleybus in the Lieferin district, injuring the 55-year-old driver. In Upper Austria, the storm front demanded the fire brigades from Thursday evening, especially in the west of the country. In total, around 3,400 emergency services from 230 fire departments were called to 400 operations by 2 a.m.
From 6:30 p.m. onwards, emergency calls increased at the Upper Austrian state warning center, and around 10:30 p.m. the number of calls suddenly increased, it said. The Inn, Hausruck and Traunviertel districts as well as Bad Ischl were particularly affected.
In the Vöcklabruck district, a vehicle was trapped by fallen trees. All occupants were able to escape to safety uninjured. In the community of Hartkirchen (Eferding district), a settlement with eight houses was initially inaccessible because several fallen trees blocked the only access road.
In Salzburg, the hurricane-like gusts of wind uprooted a large tree on Peter-Pfenninger-Strasse, which fell onto the trolleybus. No passengers were harmed in the incident; the bus driver had to be taken to hospital following receiving minor injuries. There was significant damage to the vehicle and the overhead lines. As a result, all trolleybus traffic in Salzburg was stopped around 11 p.m.
There were no reports of further injuries in the morning. According to the state fire brigade command, the approximately 620 emergency services had to deal primarily with fallen trees, torn branches and fallen roof and facade parts that were blocking roads. In Bürmoos (Flachgau), a set of the Salzburg local railway was evacuated due to fallen trees and line damage.
Fallen trees caused significant traffic jams on the Tauern Autobahn (A10) on Friday morning, as the ÖAMTC informed the APA. In the direction of Villach, several spruce trees fell onto the right-hand lane at kilometer 4, which now have to be cleared away, according to a spokeswoman. There was a significant backlog that reached as far as the western motorway (A1).
Air traffic was also affected by the strong wind. Two planes coming from Hamburg and Düsseldorf were diverted to Linz in the evening because of the strong cross winds at Salzburg Airport, and two other connections were canceled, airport spokesman Alexander Klaus told APA.
There was also more work for the fire department in Vienna. Of 210 missions, 80 were due to the storm, according to an APA request. However, no major damage was recorded.
The night was comparatively quiet in Vorarlberg. The rescue and fire brigade control center (RFL) only recorded seven operations as a result of the stormy winds. Strong gusts caused trees to fall and branches to fall, and the fire brigade had to clear the roads. The RFL said on Friday morning that no major damage or even personal injury was caused.
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