W-OLF
04-04-2006, 05:48 PM
VIENNA, Austria (AP) - Floodwaters burst through a dam in Lower Austria province on Tuesday, authorities said, and rescuers worked desperately to patch the gaping break with sandbags.
A Blackhawk helicopter was sent to the scene in Stillfried, a town about 25 miles northeast of Vienna, the Austria Press Agency reported.
Thirty homes were evacuated overnight, while firefighters and army troops used thousands of sandbags to stop water from seeping through a 165-foot hole in the dam, the Austrian broadcaster ORF reported. So far, their efforts have not been successful.
The town is downstream from Duernkrut, a village where another dam over the swollen March River partially gave way Monday, forcing the evacuation of some residents.
Some 700 firefighters and army troops were working to patch up a 490-foot gap there using thousands of sandbags and bags of stones brought to the area by two Blackhawks, Austrian radio reported.
Local residents and firefighters told Austrian radio that the dam had shown signs of breakage since 1997, but that authorities ignored the warning signs.
Two other towns in the area have also been evacuated because of rising water levels, ORF reported.
In the Upper Austrian town of St. Georgen im Attergau, divers were searching the overflowing Duerre Ager river for a toddler who disappeared while playing in front of his house near the water, ORF reported.
Authorities have not ruled out that the boy, less than 2 years old, got lost on land.
credit BellSouth
A Blackhawk helicopter was sent to the scene in Stillfried, a town about 25 miles northeast of Vienna, the Austria Press Agency reported.
Thirty homes were evacuated overnight, while firefighters and army troops used thousands of sandbags to stop water from seeping through a 165-foot hole in the dam, the Austrian broadcaster ORF reported. So far, their efforts have not been successful.
The town is downstream from Duernkrut, a village where another dam over the swollen March River partially gave way Monday, forcing the evacuation of some residents.
Some 700 firefighters and army troops were working to patch up a 490-foot gap there using thousands of sandbags and bags of stones brought to the area by two Blackhawks, Austrian radio reported.
Local residents and firefighters told Austrian radio that the dam had shown signs of breakage since 1997, but that authorities ignored the warning signs.
Two other towns in the area have also been evacuated because of rising water levels, ORF reported.
In the Upper Austrian town of St. Georgen im Attergau, divers were searching the overflowing Duerre Ager river for a toddler who disappeared while playing in front of his house near the water, ORF reported.
Authorities have not ruled out that the boy, less than 2 years old, got lost on land.
credit BellSouth