Central and Eastern Europe have been besieged by strong winds and heavy rains in recent days, with some areas experiencing the most severe flooding in decades, leading multiple countries to be on high alert. As of last Sunday night (September 15), this storm has resulted in eight fatalities and four people missing.
Since last Thursday (September 12), the storm “Boris” has struck countries such as Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia, causing severe flooding disasters in many areas. Numerous homes have been destroyed, public transportation and electricity have been severely disrupted, and parts of the Czech Republic and Poland are facing the worst floods in nearly 30 years.
The flood situation in the Czech Republic has been ongoing for several days, with four people reported missing as of Sunday. In the northeastern region near the Polish border, thousands of residents have been evacuated. Floodwaters have submerged large residential areas in some towns, while mudslides in mountainous areas have cut off access to certain villages.
A reservoir in southwestern Czech Republic has overflowed, prompting the highest level of flood alerts along the Eibach River. Fallen trees have damaged cables in many areas, leaving at least 250,000 households without power.
Authorities have deployed around 100,000 firefighters to establish flood barriers in the worst-affected areas.
Continuous heavy rainfall has caused rivers in Klodzko, southwest Poland, to reach record-high levels, flooding some areas and resulting in one drowning incident. Currently, about 1,600 people in the region have been evacuated to higher ground, with 400 individuals moved to temporary shelters.
The flooding has disrupted railway operations connecting Poland and neighboring Czech Republic.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk visited Klodzko last Sunday to inspect the situation and convene an emergency meeting. Tusk stated that the government would declare a state of emergency and seek assistance from the European Union.
Last Sunday morning, authorities in Austria declared a state of emergency in Lower Austria, the worst-affected region. Several subway lines in the capital Vienna and surrounding highways have been temporarily closed.
Military personnel have been deployed with 2,400 soldiers mobilized to combat flooding. Firefighters and other rescue teams have been constructing sandbag barriers and emergency shelters in affected areas. Tragically, one firefighter lost his life during rescue operations.
According to Austrian meteorological agency forecasts, the rainfall in the capital of Lower Austria, St. Pölten, is expected to reach 30 centimeters, more than four times the average monthly rainfall for September.
Slovakia, bordering Austria, has also declared a state of emergency in the capital, Bratislava.
The situation in southern Germany is also concerning. Last Sunday, the Isar River near Munich burst its banks, and the Rott River along the border experienced breaches. German authorities have issued high-level warnings, anticipating continued rainfall in southern and eastern Germany until Monday night.
Furthermore, in southeastern Europe, Romania has also been devastated by floods. Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu visited Galati County, the worst-affected area, last Sunday, where six fatalities have been reported, with approximately 5,400 houses damaged. This is the most severe flooding Romania has faced since 2013.