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A severe storm triggered a destructive landslide. St. Anton in Tyrol is experiencing the worst landslide disaster the Alpine vacation destination has ever seen.
St. Anton – The luxury ski resort lies in ruins. In the night from Saturday (August 17), heavy storms swept across the west of Austria. The heavy rainfall triggered numerous landslides in Tyrol and Vorarlberg, and streams overflowed their banks. St. Anton am Arlberg was particularly hard hit.
Landslide Disaster in St. Anton in Tyrol: Three Landslides Hit Alpine Holiday Resort During Storm
A landslide buries the important Arlberg federal road, and even more – even more devastating – occurred over the ski community. The “cradle of alpine skiing” is completely underwater and overwhelmed by a mudslide. Landslides occurred at Steißbach, on Kandahar, and in Jungbrunntobel, the municipality stated in a communication.
Now St. Anton faces the wreckage left behind by the storms. For the third time, the holiday resort has been hit by a landslide and flood. Previously in 1999 and 2005. But it has never been this bad, writes the Tiroler Tageszeitung. The landslide hit 35 houses in the 2000-inhabitant community.
St. Anton Faces Landslide Ruins: “It’s Despairing”
“It’s despairing,” a man told the newspaper. A landslide shattered the window and door of his son’s basement, then broke open the heating oil tank.
Rain-flood and mudslides: The storm left devastating damage in St. Anton in Tyrol. © Screenshot/X/Landesfeuerwehrverband Tirol
The Kösslerhof hotel was also severely damaged. Here the mudslide destroyed the wine cellar, restrooms, staff rooms, partition walls, and the laundry room. “It’s all gone,” hotelier Herbert Kössler told the newspaper. He has closed his inn, hoping to reopen by winter. Then the ski tourists will arrive.
Austria: St. Anton Fears Further Storms – Crisis Team with Urgent Appeal
St. Anton is cleaning up but may not have fully recovered yet. “The crisis team urgently requests that uninvolved persons keep their distance from the construction sites and cleanup operations,” the municipality announced on Sunday morning (August 18). “Especially with regard to anticipated rainfall, the situation can change quickly and become dangerous. The population is requested to respond sensitively to warnings in the coming hours.” On Saturday, the storm cells moved further east, causing a record storm in Vienna.
Storm Devastates St. Anton in Tyrol: Photos Show the Extent of the Landslide Disaster
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Arlberg Pass in Tyrol Remains Closed After Landslide – St. Anton Urges to Avoid Unnecessary Car Trips
At least: The mountain railways are operating. However, there are major disruptions in road traffic. The Arlberg pass road remains closed for now, as does the Verwall Valley. At the same time, the Arlberg Tunnel is still closed due to another landslide. And during the German summer holidays, this adds another problem for St. Anton. “The massive vehicle traffic in town is leading to reported disruptions in cleanup efforts. A request is made to avoid non-essential trips,” the municipality stated. (moe)