Severe flooding in Eastern and Central Europe has killed at least 15 people and affected tens of thousands, according to media reports on Monday.
Storm Boris brought heavy rain to Romania, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, southern Germany, and parts of Austria in recent days.
Heavy rains in eastern Romania’s Galati County, the country’s most impacted region, have caused significant devastation, destroying approximately 5,000 homes and leaving at least 25,000 people without power.
The Romanian Department for Emergency Situations announced the recovery of six dead in the last two days, including three older ladies and one man.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis criticised the situation, saying: “We are again facing the effects of climate change, which are becoming more prevalent on the European continent, with dramatic consequences.”
In 19 parts of the country, teams have rescued hundreds of people.
Heavy rains and flooding for three days in a row have primarily struck the Czech Republic’s north, with over 50,000 homes losing electricity.
According to The Guardian, police recorded one death and eight persons missing in the country.
Although water levels are dropping in the upper river courses, the flood wave continues downstream, threatening lower areas such as Uhretice and Chroustovice.
Austria has also been severely impacted, with 24 villages in Lower Austria declared “disaster zones” and evacuation orders issued while the death toll rose to three, the country’s Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler said on X.
He had said on Sunday that a firefighter had died tackling flooding in Lower Austria, as authorities declared the province, which surrounds the capital, Vienna, a disaster area.
Rail services in the eastern part of the country have been suspended, and several metro lines in Vienna were closed due to the threat of the Wien River overflowing, according to reports.
Emergency services conducted around 5,000 interventions in Lower Austria, while Vienna saw about 150 firefighting operations to clear storm debris and pump out flooded cellars.
According to Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, One person drowned in the Klodzko region of Poland, bringing the death toll in the country to five.
In Budapest, officials raised forecasts for the Danube River to rise in the second half of this week to above 8.5 meters (27.9 feet), nearing a record 8.91m seen in 2013, according to reports.
Zoltan Kovacs, the spokesperson for Prime Minister Viktor Orban, said on X: “Amphibious tracked vehicles are en route from Szentes to Pilismarot to support flood defense efforts.”
“The Hungarian Defence Forces are playing a key role in the flood protection efforts, deploying various equipment,” he added, quoting the country’s defense minister. “Nothing is more important than the safety of the Hungarian people.”
“According to forecasts, one of the biggest floods of the past years is approaching Budapest but we are prepared to tackle it,” The Guardian quoted Budapest’s mayor, Gergely Karacsony, as saying.
According to reports, authorities have declared a state of emergency in Bratislava, the country’s capital.
Heavy rain is forecast to persist through Monday and beyond.
