One person has drowned in Poland as a result of storm Boris, which has struck with full force against several countries in central and eastern Europe. In the Czech Republic, at least four people are missing and in Austria, a firefighter has died in the floods.
Since Thursday, countries such as Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania have been hit by strong winds and heavy rain. More rain is expected until at least Monday.
In Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk has declared a state of emergency for large areas in the southwestern part of the country, where Krakow has been affected, among other places.
A dam near the border with the Czech Republic burst, which worsened the situation in already flooded areas. The residents of a village were forced to leave their homes and were evacuated by helicopter as all roads out were impassable.
Similar scenes took place about two miles away, in the town of Jesenik in the Czech Republic.
Many Evacuated
The country has called in around 100,000 firefighters to help with the rescue efforts, and on Sunday, the storm was reported to have left 250,000 households without electricity. In the city of Opava, the Opava River has overflowed, and every fifth resident – more than 10,000 people – has been evacuated.
On Saturday, four people were found dead in the Galati region in southeastern Romania, where 5,000 homes were damaged by the rainfall, and two more people were confirmed dead there on Sunday.
This is a disaster of epic proportions, says Emil Dragomir, the mayor of the village of Slobozia Conachi, where 700 homes have been flooded.
Flooded Danube
In Austria, parts of the train traffic have been suspended, and in the capital Vienna, several subway lines have been shut down due to the risk of flooding.
In the northern part of the country, the authorities have declared a state of emergency in 24 towns. In all affected towns, schools will be closed on Monday. Neighboring Slovakia has also declared a state of emergency, including in the capital Bratislava.
Several of Austria's regions have received more rain in the past two days than a normal September, a storm that comes after the country experienced its warmest August since records began.
From southern Germany, via Austria, and further southeast towards Romania, the Danube has overflowed in several places. In Bavaria, the river is expected to reach more than seven meters above normal water level. However, the worst rain has already fallen, according to the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
