Due to the consequences of the severe storms that have hit parts of Austria in the last few days, the army is on an assistance mission in Carinthia and Burgenland. There was also a reed fire in the Breitenbrunn area, which the soldiers helped to fight.

Over 170 soldiers from Villach Engineer Battalion 1 and the Air Force supported the clean-up work with helicopters and heavy engineering equipment such as excavators, wheel dumpers and trucks in the first few days. Their task is to make the main traffic routes in the neighboring valley, especially to Afritz am See and Arriach, passable again in order to be able to proceed further with the equipment and the personnel of the emergency organization. Blockages caused by fallen trees and debris flows also have to be removed with chainsaws, and the masses of boulders, rubble and mud have to be removed. A Black Hawk moved from Carinthia to Burgenland to help fight a reed fire in Breitenbrunn in the early afternoon. This assistance mission was successfully completed in the late afternoon and the Black Hawk flew back to Langenlebarn.

Further deployments of an Agusta Bell 212 and an Alouette III for reconnaissance, evacuation and supply flights are planned for Sunday. The countless damaged areas have to be explored and assessed in order to be able to use the rescue workers quickly and effectively. People who are cut off from the environment are supplied with relief supplies or have to be partially evacuated. The Black Hawk helicopter supported the technicians from KNG-Kärnten Netz GmbH in replacing the electricity pylons to provide the power supply.

"The rapid deployment of our soldiers shows that the Austrian population can always rely on the armed forces. They keep showing what and how much they can do. Our top priority is rapid on-site assistance, which our soldiers have demonstrated both in Carinthia and in Burgenland. In Carinthia it is now a matter of returning to normality as quickly as possible - even if this will take many weeks - and we will continue to support the state of Carinthia together with the civilian emergency services. I would like to thank all the emergency organizations and especially the members of the armed forces, who are always ready to help where help is urgently needed," said Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP).