Torrential rain is causing rivers to swell across Central and Eastern Europe, with one confirmed death in Poland and thousands left without power. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed the fatality on Sunday and urged affected residents to cooperate with rescuers.
Storm Boris also caused fatalities in Romania on Saturday, with four people reported dead due to flooding in the southeastern Galati region.
In the Czech Republic, flooding has led to evacuations and power outages affecting 51,000 households in the northern regions, according to Czech power company CEZ. Flood barriers have been erected in Prague.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis commented, “We are again facing the effects of climate change, which are increasingly present on the European continent, with dramatic consequences.”
Extreme precipitation is becoming more frequent in Europe and globally due to climate change. A warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, resulting in heavier rainfall.
In Romania’s Galati region, the mayor of Slobozia Conachi reported that 700 homes had been flooded. “This is a catastrophe of epic proportions,” Emil Dragomir said.
In Poland’s southwestern Opole region, Glucholazy’s mayor stated that the local river had overflowed, flooding the town. Residents were urged to move to higher ground.
Zofia Owsiaka, a resident of Glucholazy, expressed fear, saying, “Everyone is scared, and there seems to be no hope of the rain stopping.”
In Krakow, Poland’s second-largest city, residents have been provided with sandbags for flood protection.
From Klodzko, one of the worst-affected areas in Lower Silesia near the Czech border, Prime Minister Tusk reported that 1,600 people had been evacuated. He urged remaining residents to comply with evacuation orders from emergency services.
In the affected area, 17,000 people are currently without power. In some locations, mobile phone signals and internet services are down. As a result, it has been decided to use Starlink satellites for communication.
The first Blackhawk helicopter has been dispatched to Wroclaw, the region’s capital, where thousands of residents have been forced to use staircases in high-rise buildings due to elevators being shut down as a flood safety measure, according to local media.
In the Czech Republic, a dam burst in the South Bohemia region on Saturday. Environment Minister Petr Hladik advised those in the worst-hit areas to prepare for evacuation, citing that the ground is saturated and rainwater is pooling on the surface, heightening the risk of flash floods. Rain is expected to continue in the Czech Republic until Tuesday.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala warned that the country is facing “a tough weekend.” Authorities have erected sandbag and metal barriers for protection. Football matches in the top two leagues scheduled for this weekend have been canceled due to the severe weather.
