Central Europe is in trouble! The Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, and Austria are suffering from devastating floods caused by a powerful cyclone that, since Thursday, September 12, has been bringing record-breaking rainfall from northern Italy.
In eastern Romania, up to 6.3 inches of rain fell in some areas, leading to tragic consequences — at least five people have died, and hundreds have been affected by flooding. In eight counties, strong winds knocked down dozens of trees, damaging cars and blocking roads. The counties of Galati and Vaslui were hit especially hard, with rescuers evacuating people by boat. In Galati, storms destroyed around 5,000 homes, and a Black Hawk helicopter was deployed for assistance. Authorities evacuated over 250 people.
In northeastern Czechia, the situation is critical: in the Jeseníky Mountains, roads have turned into raging rivers, homes have been destroyed, and evacuations are being carried out by helicopter. In Brno, a hospital was evacuated due to flooding, and in Opava, around 10,000 people were forced to leave their homes. Krnov is almost entirely submerged, and in Český Těšín, the Oder River has caused mass evacuations. Railroads and major highways have been shut down, and 260,000 households are without power.
Lower Austria has been declared a disaster zone, with 1,100 homes evacuated. In the suburbs of Vienna, the river has flooded streets and halted subway service. The Vienna River continues to pose a threat, and rescuers are evacuating people from flooded areas using rubber boats. During rescue operations in Austria, a firefighter tragically lost his life.
Poland has also been hit hard. Maximum water levels have been exceeded at 47 hydrological stations across the country. On the morning of Friday, September 13, record rainfall in the southwest caused a dam to burst in Stronie Śląskie, Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Rescue helicopters and army units were deployed for mass evacuations. Another dam burst in the mountain village of Międzygórze, worsening the situation. The Golkowice border crossing with the Czech Republic has been closed, and train services between Prudnik and Nysa have been disrupted.
Residents of the affected countries are being warned that the worst is yet to come, as rains in the region are expected to continue.
Since 2000, the number of storms in Europe has increased 18 times, and they’ve become much more destructive. Every new natural disaster turns into a large-scale catastrophe for the country it hits. Years ago, forums like “Global Crisis” warned that Europe and other parts of the world would face such climate shifts. Study this information to stay informed and protect yourself.
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