Heavy rains lashed Alpine regions of Austria and left parts of Vienna under water at the weekend, causing severe damage in parts of the country and disrupting road and rail transport, authorities and local media said.

Fast-moving torrents of muddy water swept cars through the ski resort of St. Anton, in western Austria, on Friday, footage posted on social media showed. Meanwhile, record rainfall hit parts of Vienna in the east of the country on Saturday, state broadcaster ORF said.

A woman was dragged under a bus by the force of flooding in the Doebling area in the north of the city on Saturday, ORF said. She was taken to hospital in a critical condition, it added.

Fire services in the capital were called out more than 450 times on Saturday as the downpours caused traffic chaos and disrupted rail transport, according to ORF.

“Heavy storms have done great damage in many parts of Austria,” Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on X, thanking officials who were working to clear up the damage.

In Vienna’s Doebling district, officials registered 110 litres of rain per square metre, which ORF Vienna meteorologist Kevin Hebenstreit said was a record for August rainfall in the city.

A large proportion of Vienna’s average summer rainfall hit on Saturday in just one hour, according to weather data firm UBIMET.

On average in August, it rains a total of 68 litres per square metre, with the all-time record being 139 litres on May 15, 1885, according to ORF.

Follow Dawn Business on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business, finance and tech from Pakistan and across the world.

Opinion

Editorial

Dark turn
Updated 11 Sep, 2024

Dark turn

What transpired in Islamabad should give at least the old guard within the more established political parties some pause.
Clearing the air
11 Sep, 2024

Clearing the air

THE rumour mill had been working overtime regarding a purported extension for the chief justice of the country....
Deplorable remarks
11 Sep, 2024

Deplorable remarks

It is a matter of grave concern that Imran Khan reportedly defended Gandapur’s hideous remarks about the Punjab CM and female journalists.
Delayed bailout
Updated 10 Sep, 2024

Delayed bailout

Dar’s tirade against IMF will likely add to existing uncertainties around the early disbursement of fresh funds.
PTI protest
10 Sep, 2024

PTI protest

IT seems that despite the federal government’s best efforts to sabotage the event, the PTI managed to pull off a...
Superbug threat
Updated 10 Sep, 2024

Superbug threat

THE global superbug crisis — the rise of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics — is a ticking time bomb. A...