According to the media reports accross Europe: Floods have wreaked havoc across central Europe, claiming lives in the Czech Republic, Poland, and Austria. In the Czech Republic, one person drowned near Bruntal, with seven others missing. Poland reports four deaths, though one cause remains uncertain. In Austria, two elderly individuals perished, one drowning while attempting to pump water from his home. Among the casualties over the weekend were a firefighter in Romania and others across the region.
While some areas have seen conditions stabilize, others remain on high alert. In Slovakia, the Danube surged, flooding Bratislava’s Old Town as water levels surpassed 30 feet. Hungary braces for more, with warnings in place along 310 miles of the Danube. Budapest prepares with a million sandbags, closing roads and halting trams. Prime Minister Viktor Orban has postponed international duties amid the crisis.
The Czech Republic faces record rainfall, with Jesenik seeing five times its monthly average. In Austria, St. Polten experienced more rain in four days than during the wettest autumn on record. Austria’s armed forces have been deployed, with €300m allocated for recovery. Poland declared a state of natural disaster, evacuating thousands, including an entire hospital in Nysa. Relief funds and emergency measures are now underway.
Storm Boris, blamed for the chaos, is set to bring more rain to Austria, the Czech Republic, and southeast Germany before moving south to Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region. Experts attribute the deluge to climate change, as warmer air and oceans create a “perfect storm” of intense rainfall.
