After the 2013 flood disaster, 120 homeowners were relocated

2023-05-24 02:55:00

In the Upper Austrian communities along the Danube alone, damage totaling 76 million euros was registered after the 2013 flood disaster. Since then, 166 flood protection projects have been implemented for a total of 172 million euros, reported yesterday Climate Protection Minister Stefan Kaineder from the Greens. 77 further measures totaling EUR 222.4 million are being implemented.

The protective structures in Enns and Enghagen (around 25 million euros) and in the region of Saxen, Grein and Hirschenau (around 4.1 million euros) should be completed this year or next year, reported Kaineder. The start of construction in the Linz commercial port (costs around 36.7 million euros) is planned for this year.

Further projects in the Eferding Basin, in the upper Danube valley and in the central area are still being planned and are not likely to be implemented until 2024 or 2025 at the earliest. The Machland Dam, which began after the catastrophic flood of 2002 and was completed just in time in August 2012, experienced its first major test in 2013. However, not only mobile dams were built for protection, but endangered buildings were also settled. Around 120 homeowners in the Eferdinger basin and in the Enns-Enghagen area took advantage of the state support offer and moved. After the great flood of 2002, 254 properties had already been cleared for the Machland dam. A further 17 settlements in the Upper Danube Valley between Passau and Aschach are still planned.

The 2013 flood was triggered by days of heavy rain from May 29th to June 4th. During this period, 400 liters of precipitation per square meter fell: a third of the total annual precipitation with almost 1200 liters per square meter. A lot of rain fell not only in the central area, but also along the Inn and Salzach rivers and in Bavaria. First there was a catastrophe in Passau. The level reached 12.89 meters on June 3, which was the worst flooding in the Three Rivers City for 500 years.

In the Eferding Basin, the flood catastrophe reached a level that, statistically speaking, occurs every 300 years. Numerous houses were flooded in Alkoven on June 3rd, as was the center of Aschach. The communities of Goldwörth and Walding were also badly affected.

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