Storm Boris, which is hitting eastern and central Europe with heavy rains, has killed at least 10 people so far in areas extending from Poland to Romania.
The storm caused extensive damage and unprecedented flooding in Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania. Power outages were widespread and transport was disrupted.
Six people were killed in Romania, one person drowned in Poland, a firefighter was killed in Austria, and four others were reported missing in the Czech Republic.
Dramatic images showed floods sweeping through entire neighbourhoods and streets submerged, with water reaching shoulder level in Romania where sandbags were placed to stem the rise of the water, while residents in Poland took shelter in a school.
Several towns were flooded or hit by sudden influxes of debris-laden water after days of heavy rain.
Border areas between the Czech Republic and Poland were badly damaged over the weekend. Some bridges collapsed and homes were destroyed, while villages and towns in eastern Romania were flooded.
Although rivers in the border region between the Czech Republic and Poland began to recede on Monday, flooding has spread to more areas, prompting a state of alert and caution in major cities in both countries.
In the Czech Republic, the mayor of Letovel said in a video posted on Facebook that the Morava River’s rising waters overnight had flooded the city by about 70% and forced the closure of schools and health facilities. Letovel is 230 kilometers (140 miles) east of the capital Prague and has a population of about 10,000.
Flooding in Ostrava, the regional capital of the northeastern Czech Republic, has forced the closure of a power plant that supplies the city with heat and hot water, as well as two chemical plants.
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2024-09-16 19:41:25