At least 17 people have died in massive flooding across central Europe as storm Boris brought record rainfall. About this informs CNN.
The element covered Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary, causing serious consequences. In Poland, the government declared a state of emergency after several days of heavy rains, which caused the most damage to the southwestern regions of the country. Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the allocation of 1 billion zlotys ($260 million) for emergency aid to affected areas.
In the Czech Republic, thousands of residents were left without hot water and electricity after the closure of heating stations. In particular, in the city of Ostrava, located 15 km from the Polish border, the flood forced the closure of the Veolia heating station, leaving 280,000 people without hot water.
Romania was hit by floods, where seven people died. In Austria, a flood led to the death of a firefighter, as well as two elderly men who died after being trapped in their homes.
In Poland, the number of victims has reached four people, and in the Czech Republic – three dead, according to the local police.
“We are still under a lot of pressure, the situation is extremely critical,” – said the governor of Lower Austria, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, emphasizing the scale of the disaster.
Europe remains one of the fastest warming continents. Global warming is contributing to more intense weather events like Storm Boris because a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture and warmer oceans lead to stronger storms.
In the Polish city of Nysa, local residents are trying to protect their homes from rising water, and patients at a local hospital, including pregnant women, had to be evacuated. In the city of Kłodzko, the water level reached 1.5 meters, and one of the city’s bridges was completely inaccessible.
Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamys said the army had evacuated more than 2,600 people in the past 24 hours from areas affected by the floods.
In the Czech Republic, the situation remains critical in the city of Litovel, where 80% of buildings are flooded. In the mountainous region of Jesenice, known for its resorts, residents are struggling with floodwaters.
Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban appealed to the residents of Budapest to remain calm. In his address, he assured that Hungarian experts are ready to face the rising water level in the Danube, although the situation remains difficult.
A similar situation is observed in the Slovak capital Bratislava, where the water level in the Danube has reached nine meters and continues to rise.
Poland plans to turn to the European Union for emergency financial assistance. The representative of the EU on crisis management, Balaž Ujvari, said that the EU is ready to quickly provide the necessary assistance to the countries affected by the natural disaster, including the provision of water pumps, rescue teams and other resources.
Scientists warn that due to climate change, such heavy rains and floods may occur more often. An analysis of the events of 2021, when heavy rains in Europe led to the death of more than 200 people, showed that global warming significantly increases the likelihood of such natural disasters.
