The heavy rainfall on Friday night caused mudslides and flooding in Carinthia, especially in the districts of Völkermarkt and Wolfsberg. The Austrian Armed Forces in Carinthia were therefore requested to provide assistance today. 25 soldiers have been on duty since the early hours of the morning.
“The rapid deployment of our soldiers shows that the Austrian population can always rely on the Austrian Armed Forces. They show time and again what and how much they can do – from the core task of military national defense to helping the population, our Armed Forces are ready for action around the clock for our security. Our top priority is the rapid assistance on the ground that our soldiers provide in Carinthia and support the civilian emergency services. I would like to thank all the emergency organizations and especially the members of the Austrian Armed Forces, who are always ready to provide rapid assistance where help is urgently needed,” said Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner.
“Together with Provincial Councillor Daniel Fellner, we asked for the support of the Austrian Armed Forces today as part of the crisis management team’s briefing. This support came quickly and reliably as always. Many thanks to all the soldiers, all the emergency services who are working together today for Carinthia and its people – you are doing a great job,” said Carinthian Governor Peter Kaiser.
Assistance deployment and further assessments
In response to a request for assistance from the Völkermarkt district authority, 25 soldiers, who are currently deployed in Carinthia on a security police assistance mission, have been helping the Bleiburg fire department fill sandbags since the early hours of the morning. In addition, a reconnaissance team from Pioneer Battalion 1 from Villach is deployed in the Völkermarkt district to assess the need for further assistance missions by the Austrian Armed Forces.
