Residents of the city of Villach evacuated due to severe weather in Austria | Abroad

The heavy rainfall has also caused landslides in the region. People in the states of Carinthia, Upper Austria, Styria and part of Salzburg have been urged not to go outside anymore and to go to the first floor if possible. According to the authorities, going outside is life-threatening because of the mudslides. “The danger of entrained rubble and falling walls is too great.”

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The weather is expected to get worse on Wednesday. It will continue to rain heavily, thunder and possibly hail in the affected areas. According to ORF, people have already been brought to safety with the help of helicopters.

The landslides happened after severe thunderstorms. The storm has left a trail of destruction, authorities say. The damage is worst around Villach. There are several trees uprooted by hurricane winds. Power lines have also been broken, roofs have blown away and 6000 houses are without electricity. Local media reported that lightning struck Carinthia more than 5,300 times.

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