Death Toll Rises to 16 as Severe Flooding Continues in Central Europe

World News 16/09/2024

The death toll from severe flooding in Central and Eastern Europe has risen to at least 16, with several more missing as heavy rainfall continues. Authorities in the Czech Republic, Poland, and Austria have confirmed fatalities and expressed concern that the situation could worsen.

Czech police chief, Martin Vondrášek, reported that a woman drowned in an overflowing stream near Bruntál, while seven others remain missing. In Austria, local media reported that two elderly men lost their lives due to rising floodwaters in their homes in Lower Austria. Meanwhile, in Poland, the death toll has climbed to six, including a surgeon who drowned in the town of Nysa.

Storm Boris has led to mass evacuations across several countries, including Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia. Floodwaters have damaged infrastructure, knocked out power, and submerged entire neighborhoods. In Austria, Judith Dickson, a long-term resident, described the flooding as unprecedented in her 16 years of living there.

Romania has also been heavily impacted, with six people losing their lives over the weekend. In response, Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, called for an emergency cabinet meeting, and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán canceled international engagements to address the crisis.

German chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed sorrow over the situation, offering support to the affected regions. Both Budapest and Bratislava are preparing for rising water levels in the Danube, while Austria’s Karl Nehammer warned that conditions are worsening, particularly in Lower Austria, which has been declared a disaster zone.

Authorities have reported that thousands of homes have been evacuated, and in the Czech Republic, prime minister Petr Fiala urged residents to follow safety instructions. The Morava River has submerged large parts of the city of Litovel, and major evacuations are underway in towns such as Krnov and Český Těšín. The prime minister emphasized the gravity of the situation, noting that many areas remain at high risk.

In Romania, prime minister Marcel Ciolacu acknowledged the scale of the disaster, with damage far surpassing previous floods. Residents of the village of Pechea reported widespread destruction of homes and personal property.

The European Union, through its president Ursula von der Leyen, has expressed solidarity with those affected and pledged to provide assistance.