Austrian flood control dams break
Manage Alerts | What Is This? BERLIN, Germany (CNN) -- Floodwaters from heavy rain and melting snow broke through three flood control dams in southern Austria, forcing hundreds of residents to be evacuated and leaving hundreds of homes underwater in nearby towns, Austrian officials said.
About 300 Austrian troops and 550 local volunteers worked to stabilize the dams and care for the evacuees.
Three helicopters -- two Blackhawks and an AB212 -- dropped sand bags to try to shore up the dams, said Interior Ministry spokeswoman Barbara Fischer.
About 500 residents were evacuated in Duernkrut, where one dam broke Monday, Fischer said.
In nearby Mannersdorf, where the two other dams broke overnight, 100 others were evacuated through the night, she said.
In Stillfried, 50 people were evacuated and 30 homes were flooded, she said.
As of midday Tuesday, floodwaters had stabilized, she said. No casualties were
