GLUCHOLAZY: Storm Boris has wreaked havoc across central and eastern Europe, causing severe flooding, infrastructure damage, and loss of life. As of Sunday, the storm’s death toll has risen to seven, with torrential rains and high winds affecting Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia.
In Poland, one person drowned in the Klodzko region, a hard-hit area near the Czech border. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed the death and noted that approximately 1,600 people have been evacuated from the region.
The Polish army has been deployed to assist with rescue operations, and the Golkowice border crossing with the Czech Republic has been closed due to flooding. Public transport has been disrupted, with several roads and train services halted.
Austria has also been severely impacted by the storm. In the Lower Austria region, a firefighter lost their life while responding to flood emergencies. Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner described the situation as “catastrophic,” with emergency services making nearly 5,000 interventions overnight.
The region has been declared a natural disaster zone, and residents are facing what many describe as the “worst hours of their lives.”
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In the Czech Republic, four people are reported missing following severe flooding. Three persons were swept away in a car that was carried into a river, and another person is missing after being swept away by floodwaters in the southeast of the country.
A dam in the southern Czech Republic has burst, causing extensive flooding downstream. The village of Velke Hostice has seen residents erecting a 500-meter-long sandbag barrier to protect against rising waters.
Romania has also been heavily affected, with the death toll there rising to five after a body was found on Sunday. The southeastern region of Galati has been particularly hard hit, with 5,000 homes damaged and significant infrastructure destroyed.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has attributed the disaster to climate change, calling it a “catastrophe of epic proportions.” In the town of Slobozia Conachi, 700 homes have been flooded, and the Interior Ministry reports that over 5,000 households and 15,000 people have been affected in the region.
Austria’s Tyrol region has experienced unusual weather patterns, with up to one meter of snow falling in areas that saw temperatures of up to 30°C (86°F) just a week ago. In Vienna, rail services were suspended and metro lines were shut down as the Wien River threatened to overflow.
Local firefighters have conducted around 150 operations since Friday to clear debris and pump water from basements.
Slovakia has declared a state of emergency in its capital, Bratislava, as heavy rains continue to cause flooding. The storm is expected to persist until at least Monday, with continued heavy rains forecasted for the affected areas.
