Major flooding has wreaked havoc in several regions of Central Europe like Poland, Romania, Austria and the Czech Republic killing at least 24 people and leaving hundreds injured.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen vowed to support the EU states on September 20, with funds worth 10 billion euros ($11.16 billion) available from EU Cohesion funds, for the regions devastated by the deluge. She said, “I am here to reassure you that Europe stands by your side. This is a moment of need, of… natural disaster and we have all to stand together to overcome the challenge.” She further reiterated that the funds to lift member states from devastation will be used to rebuild infrastructure also.
Rivers burst their banks due to the torrential rain happening because of the low-pressure system, which continued for several weeks causing major damage to bridges, submerging cars and leaving towns caked in mud and debris.
The worst flood to have hit Central Europe in the last two decades has led to the evacuation of more than thousands of people as floods swept away 250,000 homes, with army personnel joining civilians to clean up and recovery efforts.
Polish cities which reported a death toll of 15 people, have largely been affected by record levels of rains prompting bursts of dams and embankments, submerging houses and buildings. As flood still plagues Czech Republic cities also, satellite images show floodwaters still peaking from rivers breaching towns and inundating homes and hundreds of businesses. The head of the Fire Service claimed on September 19 that more than 10,000 people had been evacuated from the country.
In Budapest, floodwater continues to increase as the river level does not cease to subside forcing the mayor to take preventive measures like providing sandbags to residents for protection. The situation in Hungary is dire too, as torrential rains continue to pound the region. Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced on platform X that he had postponed all his international obligations “due to the extreme weather conditions and the ongoing floods in Hungary”.
As Storm Boris moves South towards Italy where it will reintensify and bring heavy rain, weather in Central European nations is expected to improve with much drier conditions in the coming week.
