For a week, Central Europe has been struggling with a series of devastating floods that have affected countries including Poland, the Czech Republic, and Austria. Heavy rains caused by the Boris low-pressure system have triggered catastrophic floods, leading to evacuations, destruction, and dramatic scenes in affected areas. However, this region is not the only one suffering.
Flood in Austria
Heavy rains that began on Thursday, September 12, peaked over the weekend, resulting in record rainfall amounts — from 150 to even 300 liters of water per square meter in some areas. As a result of the torrential downpours, residents of many flooded towns, including Tullnerfeld, were evacuated. More than 300 people found shelter in the Messe Tulln center. Additionally, 26 towns were completely cut off, and 2,400 households were left without electricity.
In many places, flood defenses failed under the pressure of water, leading to further destruction. On the night of September 17, from Monday to Tuesday, rescuers faced more damage to barriers, and residents had to quickly leave their homes. Fortunately, in some areas, such as the valleys of the Kamp and Danube rivers, water levels started to gradually drop, bringing temporary relief.
So far, the death toll has risen to four, including a firefighter who lost his life during a rescue operation. The flood situation in Lower Austria remains tense due to ongoing risks of landslides and avalanches, especially in the mountainous regions of Tyrol and Styria.
Rescuers, law enforcement, and the military continue to carry out aid operations, trying to minimize the effects of the disaster. A nationwide rescue operation is underway — Vienna’s fire brigade received more than 100 calls per hour. Despite the challenging weather conditions, traffic on the southern railway line was restored, and some routes in Vienna have been reopened.
Austria – aid and forecasts
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer announced that the government would allocate 300 million euros to repair the damage caused by the recent floods. Financial aid will be directed toward rebuilding destroyed homes, roads, and strengthening infrastructure. In response to the disaster, relief forces are being mobilized across the country. Although the situation appears to be stabilizing this morning, meteorologists are warning of the risk of another wave of heavy rainfall, which could once again cause flooding and destruction. Areas along the Leitha River remain particularly at risk, with flood warnings still in place.
Massive scale of destruction in Hungary and Romania
In Hungary, the fight against the incoming flood wave on the Danube continues, which reached the country on Monday. Protective measures are being taken, such as reinforcing flood defenses, preparing sandbags, and activating polders and retention reservoirs. The peak flood wave, which is larger than initially predicted, is expected to reach Nagybajcs on Thursday and Budapest likely on Saturday, where water levels are forecasted to reach up to 860 cm. Additionally, Cyclone Boris brought hurricane-force winds (up to 131.4 km/h) and heavy rains to Hungary, complicating the situation.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán canceled all his foreign visits, including his participation in the European Parliament session, to oversee the battle against the disaster. A Protection Committee has been established in Budapest to protect the city from potential damage.
In Romania, the situation is even more dramatic. The flood, which began on September 14, has devastated the eastern regions of the country, particularly the Galati and Vaslui counties. This disaster has claimed seven lives, and extensive infrastructure damage has forced the authorities to issue the highest level of alert. This decision allows for faster resource allocation, resulting in over 1,000 firefighters and other rescue services being deployed from yesterday to today to assist those affected.
Main photo: courtesy of Fromlovetotravel