Rail traffic in Central Europe has been severely disrupted by persistent heavy rainfall and flooding.
Austria, the Czech Republic and Poland in particular are facing rail chaos, leading to evacuations and drastic measures in public transport. The Vienna-Salzburg railway line, one of the country’s most important routes, has been partially closed due to the risk of flooding. Vienna’s metro system has also been badly affected, with at least three lines affected by the flooding.
Austrian railway company OeBB and private carrier Westbahn have deployed replacement buses for the route between Amstetten and St. Valentin, a crucial section of the so-called Weststrecke. The four-track line handles around a third of all rail traffic in Austria and is an important connection route between Germany and Eastern Europe. According to a statement from OeBB, freight traffic is being halted or diverted, causing significant delays. “We are doing our utmost to limit the impact on passengers and businesses as much as possible, but safety comes first,” said an OeBB spokesperson.
railway lines shut down
In the Czech Republic, around 40 railway lines were shut down by the storm by Sunday. Passenger train services between the Czech Republic and Poland have been suspended until further notice, the Polish railway company reported PKP Intercity. In a statement, the Polish company said that freight traffic is also being affected, with longer detours due to the closed border crossings. The problems do not only extend to rail traffic. The ongoing bad weather has also caused evacuations of residents in several countries. In Austria alone, around 1.100 homes have been evacuated so far.
Due to the bad weather conditions, trains travelling from Poland to the Czech Republic end their journey in Poland. Currently, the terminus for connections from Warsaw is Rybnik and Racibórz, and for connections from Przemyśl and Kraków, the terminus is Czechowice-Dziedzice. In the opposite direction, train traffic is organised in the same way. The departure stations are Rybnik, Racibórz and Czechowice-Dziedzice. Due to the heavy rainfall, it is not possible to provide replacement bus services between the above-mentioned stations and the Czech Republic.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer stressed the seriousness of the situation on social media: “The coming days will be extremely difficult and challenging for the affected population and the emergency services. Fire brigades, civil protection, police and the army are ready to help where their support is most needed.” The province of Lower Austria, which has been hit hardest, has declared a state of emergency. Authorities have advised people to travel only if strictly necessary.
deadly
In addition to rail traffic, there is also a great risk of further flooding in the area around the Ottensteiner Dam. Despite the fact that authorities have reduced the capacity of the reservoir by discharging about half of the water, it is expected that the reservoir will exceed its maximum capacity. This will lead to a rise in the water level of the Kamp River, a tributary of the Danube. Local residents in the area around the river have been warned of further evacuations and possible damage from the rising water.
In Romania, the floods have proven even more deadly. A total of four people have died in the storm, and two others have been missing for two days, according to Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. Deaths have also been reported in Poland and Austria. A firefighter in Austria lost his life during rescue efforts, while another fatality was reported in Poland. Emergency services are working tirelessly to bring as many people to safety as possible and limit further damage.
not over yet
Meteorologists warn that the storm is not over yet. According to the Austrian weather forecast service GeoSphere, a low-pressure area over the Balkan Peninsula will continue to cause heavy rainfall in the coming days, especially in the north, center and east of Austria. The authorities continue to monitor the situation closely and warn the population of further flooding and evacuations.
Public life in Central Europe has been turned upside down by the severe weather. Not only the transport sector, but also the daily lives of thousands of people are severely disrupted. While emergency services are working at full speed and help is being provided to those affected, the question remains how long these extreme weather conditions will last and what the full impact will be on the infrastructure and residents in the region.
