Sharjah24 - WAM: Experts have warned about the effects of climate change on storms and floods, attributing the recent heavy rainfall in Austria and other European countries to climate change. They noted that such events are becoming more frequent and intense due to global warming, and caution that more severe consequences could occur in the future.
Climate research consistently showed that heavy rainfall has significantly increased in most continental regions, particularly Europe.
The extreme weather conditions Austria has faced recently underscore the importance of climate adaptation measures, alongside efforts to strengthen climate protection policies.
Austria has been repeatedly hit by thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and floods, coinciding with record-breaking heatwaves during the summer. This past summer was the hottest Austria has experienced in 258 years of recorded history, with the capital, Vienna, experiencing 47 days when temperatures exceeded 30°C.
The average annual temperature in Austria increased by 1.4°C between 1991 and 2020 compared to the baseline period from 1961 to 1990.
Recently, eastern Austrian has been battered by strong winds and torrential downpours, leading to devastating floods. In Lower Austria, floodwaters caused rivers and lakes to overflow, prompting the government to declare a state of emergency and call the military for rescue operations. Thousands of residents were evacuated as heavy rain persisted for five consecutive days.
The flooding, which affected the states of Upper Austria, Salzburg, and parts of Vienna, claimed the lives of five people. The floods also swept away cars, destroyed infrastructure and inundated large swathes of farmland and pastures in Lower Austria, the country's largest state with a population of two million.
Water levels surpassed records set three decades ago along the Danube River. Some areas, like Weinviertel and Mostviertel, recorded new peak flood levels, according to local authorities.
Civil defence forces faced challenging conditions while evacuating residents, using boats in areas where power outages had disabled phone networks and transportation links. In cities like Waidhofen, flood levels have exceeded the highest recorded in nearly 100 years, with rainfall in certain areas reaching record levels of around 350 litres per square metre.
Vienna, however, was largely shielded from the worst of the disaster thanks to the Danube Island flood protection project. Completed in 1987, the artificial island runs 21 kilometres along the river, creating a buffer that helps control floodwaters and protect the city.
Beyond human casualties, the floods have caused massive economic losses in agriculture and livestock, while wildlife populations have been devastated.
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