Historic floods and thousands of evacuees

“Europe is ready to act,” said European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, in response to the effects of Storm Boris. whose consequences are “devastating”Since Thursday, large areas of Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia have been affected by strong winds and heavy rains. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyenshowed his “most sincere solidarity” with the victims and their families and assured that “The EU is ready to provide support”.

In Romania they were discovered yesterday four corpses In the worst-hit region, Galati, in the southeast, where 5,000 houses were damaged, according to emergency services, while in the Czech Republic they have mobilised up to 100,000 firefighters to help resolve the nearly 3,000 incidents recorded, most of them due to falling trees.

While crossing Poland, the storm caused a dead man and nearly 2,000 people had to be evacuated in the southwest of the country. For its part, Austria declared the federal state of Lower Austria, the country’s largest and most populous, a disaster area on Sunday, due to heavy rains that caused historic floodsforcing the evacuation of thousands of people and causing the death of a firefighter.

“Flood of the Century” in Austria

“I urge all residents of Lower Austria in the affected regions to prepare for further rain and flooding, which stay alert and follow the instructions of the emergency services. We hope challenges of historical dimensions“especially in the Waldviertel,” warned Lower Austria Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner after a briefing this morning.

In Waldviertel, about 120 kilometres northwest of Vienna, authorities are waiting for the “the flood of the century”because they predict that the Kamp River, a tributary of the Danube, will exceed levels recorded in the last hundred years, causing the tank overflow by Ottenstein.

A firefighter has died while pumping out water in Lower Austria, where heavy flooding has also left many residents trapped in their homes. “The situation in Lower Austria is dramatic”said Mikl-Leitner.

In the capital Vienna, they were recorded in the last few hours more than 1,100 firefighting operations linked to wind gusts and flooding in basements, as well as in homes in the west of the city.

Mass evacuations in Poland

The Polish Institute of Meteorology and Water Management predicts total precipitation of up to 150 liters per square meter in the provinces of Lower Silesia, Opole, Silesia and Lesser Poland (near Slovakia) until Sunday.

So far, one person has died and nearly 2,000 people have been evacuated in southwestern Poland due to the storm, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reported. “In the Kłodzko region (in Lower Silesia, near the Czech Republic), the first death by drowning” said the liberal politician at a press conference.

The president, who visited Kłodzko, explained that 1,600 residents had to be evacuated there, but warned that there would be “many more evacuations” throughout the day. “The situation remains very dramatic in many places,” Tusk stressed.

The Prime Minister reiterated his call to residents to Do not underestimate the threat and do not refuse to evacuate.

Germany, against the clock

Germany is preparing against the clock in two regions in the east and south of the country – particularly in areas close to the Czech Republic, Poland and Austria – against possible flooding due to the Several rivers expected to overflow in the face of the strong storm hitting central Europe. “Time is running out”fire department spokesman Michael Klahre said Friday evening.

Especially in Dresden, where part of the Carola Bridge over the Elbe collapsed on Monday morning. A private company, supported by the army, is working tirelessly to remove the debris so that it does not cause an even greater flood.

The water level in the Elbe could rise to six or seven metres, compared to a normal level of two. The first alert level, level 1, will be reached in Dresden probably on Sunday and level 3 on Wednesday or Thursday.

In southern Germany, in the southern region of Bavaria, due to flooding, the first closures are expected in the coming hours in the historic center of Passau, near Austria.

Five dead in Romania

At least five people died And There are still two missing following floods in eastern Romania, which have damaged more than 5,800 homes and left 25,000 people without electricity, local authorities reported on Sunday.

“We have recorded critical situations in Galati and Vaslui counties, where approximately 5,890 homes were affected“303 people were evacuated and five people were found dead,” the Romanian Interior Ministry reported in a statement.

Rescue teams found a deceased person this Sunday in the municipality of Slobozia Conachi, in the south-eastern region of Galati, where yesterday others four other victims have been located.