Situation in heavily flooded Koroška region verging on chaos
Slovenj Gradec/Ljubljana, 4 August - The northern region of Koroška is among the areas in Slovenia hit worst by the heavy rain and floods of the past 12-plus hours. The situation is verging on chaos in some parts and Slovenia has asked Austria to help with potentially needed hospital care. The two countries' foreign ministers have also discussed water management.
Mežica
Floods in Mežica in the north region of Koroška after a night of heavy rain.
Photo: STA
Mežica
Floods in Mežica in the north region of Koroška after a night of heavy rain.
Photo: STA
Mežica
Floods in Mežica in the north region of Koroška after a night of heavy rain.
Photo: STA
Mežica
Floods in Mežica in the north region of Koroška after a night of heavy rain.
Photo: STA
Mežica
Floods in Mežica in the north region of Koroška after a night of heavy rain.
Photo: STA
Mežica
Floods in Mežica in the north region of Koroška after a night of heavy rain.
Photo: STA
Mežica
Floods in Mežica in the north region of Koroška after a night of heavy rain.
Photo: STA
Mežica
Floods in Mežica in the north region of Koroška after a night of heavy rain.
Photo: STA
A numbers of areas in Koroška, which was already severely affected by the July storms, have been completely cut off by the flooding Meža and Mislinja rivers and landslides.
Some of the main road links have been severed too, including between Dravograd and Maribor, Dravograd and Ravne na Koroške, as well as between Dravograd and Slovenj Gradec. Roads to Šalek Valley further south are closed too.
A number of bridges have been destroyed and several towns, in particular Prevalje, are under water. What is more, the Mežica Valley is affected by a water pipeline rupture, and efforts are already under way to provide drinking water for households.
Evacuation requests are mounting in the region, but the relief operations are hampered by the continuing bad weather and severed connections, including to hospitals, which are struggling with staff shortages.
While the rain is also causing major problem further north across the border with Austria, Slovenia has turned to the Austrian consulate in the neighbouring Carinthia region with the plead to have its hospital in Klagenfurt receive people from Slovenia's Koroška in case they would need care.
What is more, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon talked today with Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg to also discuss the emptying by Austria of reservoirs on the Drava River, which flows from Austria to Slovenia.
This was reported on the twitter by the Slovenia Foreign Ministry, which noted that the lakes could cause additional damage in Slovenia.
This matter was already raised on Thursday by the Environment Agency's Janez Polajnar. The hydrologist told the Kanal A TV channel that, in anticipation of heavier rainfall, Austria had started emptying one of the reservoirs on the Drava.
By increasing the flow, the Austrians this time made space for the current heavy precipitation to avoid floods similar to those in 2012 when excessive water discharge from the reservoirs caused a sudden rise in the Drava water levels in Slovenia.