The death toll from severe flooding across Central Europe continues to rise as heavy rains batter the region. Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Romania have already been hit hard, with Slovakia and Hungary bracing for potential flooding in the coming days, The Associated Press reports.
The relentless rainfall, a result of a low-pressure system originating from northern Italy, has been pouring down since Thursday, setting record levels in the region. The floods have claimed six lives in Romania, one each in Austria and Poland, and four people remain missing in the Czech Republic.
Czech Republic
Most of the Czech Republic has been affected, with authorities issuing the highest flood warnings at over 100 locations. The situation is particularly dire in two northeastern regions, including the Jeseniky mountains near the Polish border, which have seen the most rainfall in recent days.
In Opava, with a population of around 56,000, up to 10,000 people have been ordered to evacuate to higher ground. Rescuers are using boats to safely transport residents from a neighborhood flooded by the Opava River. Prime Minister Petr Fiala has warned that the worst is yet to come.
Thousands of others have also been evacuated in the towns of Krnov, which is nearly entirely submerged, and Cesky Tesin. The Oder River, which flows into Poland, is reaching extreme levels in Ostrava and Bohumin, necessitating evacuations. Ostrava, the regional capital, is the third-largest city in the Czech Republic and is expected to face significant traffic disruptions in the coming days. Train service in the region has been severely disrupted.
Austria
The entire state of Lower Austria, in the northeastern part of the country, has been declared a disaster zone. Over 10,000 relief forces have evacuated 1,100 houses so far, and emergency personnel are establishing accommodation for displaced residents. Lilienfeld, with a population of 25,000, is completely cut off from the outside world. The Wien River in Vienna has overflowed its banks, flooding homes and prompting initial evacuations.
Romania
Two more deaths were reported Sunday in the hard-hit eastern county of Galati, bringing the total death toll there to six. The county has been experiencing unprecedented rainfall.
Poland
One person is presumed dead in floods in southwestern Poland, according to Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The situation is “dramatic” around the town of Klodzko, with approximately 25,000 residents, located in a valley in the Sudetes mountains near the Czech border.
The flooding follows a record-breaking hot summer in the region, prompting scientists to point to the link between a hotter atmosphere, fueled by human-caused climate change, and increased rainfall intensity.
