Austrian mudslides kill one, cut off villages

Torrential rains cause mudslides and flooding in the Alpine regions of Austria.

At least one man was killed after mudslides tore through his village leaving a trail of damage.

Karl Fischbacher says the experience will haunt him for some time come:

(SOUNDBITE) (German) KARL FISCHBACHER, RESIDENT WHOSE HOUSE WAS DEVASTATED BY MUDSLIDE, SAYING:

"It made a noise like the house was falling down. I felt it all the way in my bones. I jumped up... Well, to come to terms with it, that will take a long time. It took me awhile even to realize what actually happened, but slowly I am coming to terms with it."

He says while the clean up will take some time the most important thing is that nothing happened to him or his girlfriend.

(SOUNDBITE) (German) KARL FISCHBACHER, RESIDENT WHOSE HOUSE WAS DEVASTATED BY MUDSLIDE, SAYING:

"It is only material damage. It can be fixed. It will take awhile but since nothing else happened... it's not that much of a tragedy."

As authorities work to clear the damage more rain is in the forecast.

Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters