Vorarlberg delays disaster plans but says Rhine flood coverage exists

Delays in updating disaster protection plans in Vorarlberg prevented a planned Rhine flood exercise last year, ORF Vorarlberg reported. The state government says plans are regularly reviewed and updated.

The state’s 2025 financial accounts said funds set aside to create and renew disaster protection plans were not needed because of project delays. The government told ORF Vorarlberg that the plans undergo “ongoing adaptations and updates” and that a new template is being prepared.

The changes mainly affect the plans’ basic framework and the sections that can be filled in, rather than their content, the government said.

Instead of simulating Rhine flooding, the state carried out a blackout exercise with illwerke vkw. The exercise was significantly cheaper because it did not require an on-site operation with equipment and actors.

The state government said disaster plans for Rhine flooding do exist and are continuously reviewed and developed with the municipalities and district authorities involved. This also applies to measures for any necessary evacuations.