In an interview with PULS 24, NÖ fire department commander Dietmar Fahrafellner speaks about the current storm situation in Lower Austria. He expects that the Ottenstein Reservoir will overflow on Sunday despite preventive measures. A nearby municipality is also warning about the dam overflowing.
In Lower Austria, the 30-year flood mark has already been surpassed, according to state fire department commander Dietmar Fahrafellner in an interview with PULS 24’s chief reporter Magdalena Punz.
Ottenstein Reservoir is expected to overflow
The situation is currently under control, according to Fahrafellner. However, the situation will become tenser on Sunday, as the weather is expected to reach its peak. They are anticipating a HQ100, which is a flood that should only occur once every hundred years.
The Ottenstein Reservoir has already been drained for several days to make room for more water masses. However, the Lower Austria fire department expects that the Ottenstein Reservoir will overflow.
“We are powerless against these rainfall amounts; we have given our all and made all preparations.”
The fire department is now focusing on protecting critical infrastructure, such as power lines. Private individuals are being supported with sandbags.
Nearby municipalities also informed their citizens on Saturday about the predicted overflow of the dam.
“According to current knowledge, the inflows to the reservoirs will very likely exceed the released volume on Sunday afternoon, and in this case, the dam walls will start to overflow from 5:30 PM. This will lead to a rapid increase in discharge volumes below the power plants, and then flood discharges above an HW100 will be possible. The water masses are expected in our municipality around 10:00 PM,” said the municipality of Grafenegg near Krems in a statement.
All information regarding the storm situation: