Flooding damage in Vápenná in north-east Czech Republic. Photograph: Action Press/Rex/Shutterstock
By Our Reporter
The death toll from relentless torrential rain and catastrophic flooding in central and eastern Europe has risen to at least 16, with authorities warning that the situation may worsen. Fatalities have been reported in the Czech Republic, Poland, and Austria, and several people remain missing as rescue efforts continue.
In Poland, the death toll climbed to five after a surgeon returning from work drowned in the southwestern town of Nysa. The local hospital was evacuated, and patients had to be rescued by raft as the town was overwhelmed by floodwaters.
Austria also saw heartbreaking losses as local media reported that two elderly men, aged 70 and 80, tragically drowned after being trapped by rising waters in their homes.
Tens of thousands of people have been forced to evacuate their homes across Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia. Storm Boris has unleashed the worst flooding the region has seen in over two decades, leaving widespread devastation in its wake. Dams have burst, streets have been inundated, electricity has been knocked out, and entire neighborhoods have been submerged.
"I have lived here for 16 years and I have never seen such flooding," said Austrian resident Judith Dickson in an interview with public radio, voicing the shock felt by many.
Experts are linking the increase in extreme rainfall to human-caused climate change. Across Europe and other regions of the world, such as Asia, North America, South America, and Africa, extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense as the climate crisis escalates. Warmer air holds more water vapor, leading to heavier rainfall, which in turn contributes to devastating floods.
In response to the disaster, Poland’s Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, declared a state of emergency in the hardest-hit areas and announced an emergency aid fund of 1 billion zlotys (£200 million) to assist those affected. Hungary's Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, canceled all international engagements to focus on the unfolding crisis in his country.
More than 2,600 people were evacuated across Poland in the last 24 hours alone, according to Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. Meanwhile, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala urged residents to follow the instructions of local authorities and emergency services.
As of Sunday evening, Czech emergency services had responded to nearly 8,000 incidents, and 119,000 households were without power. The damage across the region is mounting as nations brace for the possibility of even more extreme weather in the coming days.
This disaster highlights the growing urgency of addressing the climate emergency, as extreme weather events like flooding become more frequent and severe. However, other factors, such as flood defense planning and land use, also play critical roles in mitigating the damage caused by these natural disasters.
With the devastation far from over, affected countries are rallying resources to manage the crisis, but the long-term impacts on these communities will be felt for years to come.
Source: The Guardian, UK