Floods sparked by Storm Boris are wreaking havoc in Central Europe as high winds and heavy rainfall have hit parts of Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia in the past few days.
So far, the storm has caused the deaths of seven people in Romania, four in Poland, four in Austria, and three in the Czech Republic.
Many have compared the current situation to the 2013 floods which primarily affected Central Europe and caused the deaths of 25 people.
Parts of Austria have been hit by five times the average amount of rain they get for the entire month of September. The flooding has broken twelve dams, with muddy rivers raging, while thousands of households were without electricity and water in Lower Austria. Hundreds of people have been evacuated by helicopter from car roofs and other places.
Visuals from Vienna, Austria, is also concerning.
— Mr. Shaz (@Wh_So_Serious) September 15, 2024
Part of one of the districts has been evacuated. #Vienna #Austria #AustriaFloods#Floods #Flooding #Rain #HeavyRain#Österreich #ÖsterreichÜberschwemmungen #Überschwemmungen #Regen #Starkregen
pic.twitter.com/rsdF8fHVZs
The floods prompted Austrian political parties to cancel or postpone election events. “There is now a pause in the election campaign! We must devote all our energy and attention to disaster management and helping those affected by the storms,” Chancellor Karl Nehammer posted on social media platform X.
In eastern Germany, mobile flood protection walls were set up in some areas to protect Dresden’s old city as the Elbe river level rose, with the peak expected mid-week.
In Poland, thousands of people had to be evacuated from their homes as the government declared a state of natural disaster. Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced one billion zloty (€235 million) in aid for those hit by the storm. Warsaw has asked the European Union to provide funds for the damages.
Kłodzko. Poziom wody sięga już czubka latarni ulicznej. #powodź2024 #Powodź #dolnośląskie #DolnyŚlask #Kłodzko pic.twitter.com/jUbbMaZX25
— Jakub Rosiński (@Jakub__Rosinski) September 15, 2024