Kategorie: News
Waterworld helps
The area has been devastated by flooding, with many homes and businesses under water. Those affected in Lower Austria have been suffering for days from heavy rain, flooding and the aftermath. Many are now beginning to repair the worst of the damage, while others are still spending the nights in emergency shelters. As the flood situation in Austria gradually eases, the clean-up operation has begun.
The extent of the damage caused by the extreme weather will only become clear in the coming days. The east of Austria has been hit hardest. In Lower Austria in particular, numerous families have been affected by the floods and the effects of the storm. The water destroyed what had often been built up over decades.
We have now received a special appeal for help from Werner Thiele (Waterworld Reisen), who is very close to the fate of a family whose belongings and possessions were completely destroyed by the water. Here is the original, maybe you can help too!
The flood of the last few days
Dear friends, dear regular customers, dear guests!
With this special newsletter, I am personally addressing all of our long-standing companions, friends, regular customers, new customers, and all friends of water sports. The word ‘water sports’ reads a bit like a mockery today when you consider what WATER has once again caused in the last few days in Austria and other neighbouring countries.
It is one thing to watch the images of the flooding, which has hit Lower Austria particularly hard, on the news from the dry sofa. It is quite another when you know people who have been personally affected.
According to NÖN (Niederösterreichische Nachrichten), Asperhofen and Siegersdorf in Lower Austria were the hotspots: ‘Individual properties could be well protected, but the water masses were so enormous that in some places even that would no longer have helped.’
These are people I know personally, who I have always got to know and appreciate as helpful and selfless. And these are people who are close to WATERWORLD this time: the parents of Michaela, who manages the back office of the Waterworld team, administers your travel documents, sends out your receipts, takes a lot off my hands and has my back.
Michaela's parents' house was a victim of the flood during the night from Saturday to Sunday. The ‘Große Tulln’ directly in front of the house, a small rivulet, which usually and also the day before usually only had a water depth of 30cm, swelled by several metres during the night, partially tore away the bridge leading to the settlement, tore away part of the road, washed away the houses, flooded the house and garden, destroyed everything in its path. Everything that Michael & Ingrid had built up hard and diligently throughout their lives.
The floods devastated the house, and the slope behind the house is in danger of slipping away. Everything on the ground floor, in the cellar, in the garage, all electrical appliances, photovoltaic system, etc. was destroyed. Michael and Ingrid are virtually left with almost nothing – just when they started their retirement, they have lost everything. A life of hard work, a lovingly built little house, piece by piece, the well-kept garden of simple people who worked hard for every euro, raised their children, had to do without many things for a lifetime – virtually everything was gone or irreparably destroyed within one night. The insurance company or the state will undoubtedly help, but it will probably only cover part of the damage – and on top of that, it will take time. But now WE ALL can help immediately:
Donation account (see below)
It is up to all of us to reach out to Michaela's parents: ‘Those who help quickly, help twice as much,’ as the saying goes. I would add to that, ‘Those who help directly, help many times over.’ For this reason, I have set up a flood donation account for Michael & Ingrid on behalf of the WATERWORLD community, which is open from today and will remain open for exactly one month – until 18 October. Then we want to surprise Michael & Ingrid with the amount that the WATERWORLD community has raised for them.
No matter what the total is – every euro will help to ensure that they do not have to spend their retirement in a mountain of debt. Of course, we will also report on the handover of the cheque and the amount raised in a newsletter.
I therefore call on all of you to please help. Even a small amount, if it's only 10 or 20 €, can make a big difference if I manage to reach even just a portion of the thousands of people on our newsletter mailing list. If you can or want to give more than €10 or €20, then all the better. You can help directly here, not through aid organisations, but DIRECTLY to Michaela's parents. After the initial shock, Michi can then finish your travel documents with a smile and dedication, without having to worry about the parents.
I am counting on you and would like to thank everyone who is involved in this relief project, even if it is only a small contribution.
Kind regards from Vomperbach, Tyrol – Werner Thiele – Waterworld
Donation account (Austria)
AT45 2051 0000 0179 3702
in the name of: „Hochwasserhilfe Michael & Ingrid Burghardt“
(Editorial Note: ‘Michael & Ingrid Burghardt Flood Relief Fund’)