Heavy rain fell over large parts of the Eastern Alps on Monday, and the water levels in the rivers rose continuously over the course of the day. So did in Tyrol the Ötztaler Ache (AUT), the river burst its banks and caused serious damage on the area of the natural luge track „Grantau“.

Umhausen (FIL/08/28/2023) The authorities in the Ötztal valley are already talking about a flood of the century. Floods are reported from Umhausen, among other places, where the Federal Training Center West "Rodelbahn Grantau" was badly affected: A large part of the parking spaces were washed away, and all access roads were also torn away, as the bridge connecting the main road with the natural track luge centre.

"The exact extent of the damage has not yet been determined - we first have to see how we can get to the other side of the river," explains Gerald Kammerlander, Natural Track Sports Director at Rodel Austria. It is also still unclear whether and how the luge track was damaged.

The extent of the damage will be recorded in the next few days.