Severe flooding in central and eastern Europe has claimed the lives of at least six people after some of the most intense rainfall in years. A slow-moving storm system, dubbed Storm Boris, brought a month’s worth of rain to major cities like Vienna, Bratislava, and Prague, creating widespread chaos.
The torrential downpour persisted over the weekend, affecting regions across Poland, Romania, Austria, and the Czech Republic. Among the victims, one person drowned in Klodzko county, Poland, while a firefighter in Austria also tragically died while responding to the crisis.
In Romania, the storm’s aftermath was especially deadly, with four people losing their lives as flooding left hundreds stranded. Romanian Interior Minister Cătălin Predoiu confirmed that rescue teams intervened to save 95 people in the most critically affected areas, but tragically, some victims were found dead in their homes or yards.
The country has seen its heaviest rainfall in a century, and emergency services have been working tirelessly to manage the severe flooding across several localities.
Storm Boris triggers deadly flooding in central and eastern Europe, causing six deaths across Poland, Romania, Austria, and the Czech Republic
Poland and the Czech Republic have also faced major flooding as rivers have overflowed, forcing evacuations. In Klodzko, Poland, 1,600 people were evacuated after local rivers reached unprecedented levels, submerging parts of the town.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed the drowning death in Klodzko and warned that the situation remained dire, with many residents underestimating the danger and refusing to evacuate, compounding the challenges for emergency responders.
The Czech Republic is bracing for more flooding, with mandatory evacuations ordered in several areas. Authorities rescued two women by boat in southern Benešově nad Černou after they ignored evacuation orders. Meanwhile, firefighters have been working in southern Poland to fill sandbags in an effort to prevent further damage, as rivers like the Biala have swollen significantly due to the continued rainfall.
Germany and Austria are also under high alert, particularly in the southern and eastern parts of the two countries. Austria has declared states of emergency in many areas, and flood warnings have been issued in Germany’s state of Saxony.
Red alerts, the highest level of weather warning, have been issued across affected countries, signaling that the intense rainfall and flooding could cause widespread and significant damage in the days to come.
