Egypt Daily News – The recent floods in Central Europe have led to tragic events, resulting in the death of one person in Poland and another during rescue operations in Austria. The severe weather, marked by heavy rain, has forced the evacuation of thousands in the Czech Republic and other neighboring countries.
Austrian Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler reported the death of a firefighter in Lower Austria, which has been declared a disaster zone. The floods, described as the worst in nearly three decades in parts of the Czech Republic and Poland, resulted from consistent heavy rainfall. Approximately 1,600 residents were evacuated from towns in southwestern Poland, where rivers overflowed, leading to tragic drownings.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk remarked on the dire situation, particularly in the town of Klodzko, where water levels exceeded historical records set during devastating floods in 1997. In the Czech Republic, about 1,900 people were evacuated, and local authorities reported road closures due to rising waters, with some residents claiming this was the worst flooding they had ever encountered.
The situation is also severe in Romania, where initial reports confirmed five fatalities as rescue operations continue. Thousands of homes have been affected, particularly in Galați, prompting emergency measures like erecting sandbags to control floodwaters.
Additionally, in the Czech Republic, four individuals have gone missing, including three people whose car fell into a river. Evacuations in the city of Opava are underway due to the flooding of the Opava River.
Amidst these ongoing floods, meteorologists have projected more heavy rain, exacerbating the current crisis, fueled by a weather system referred to as storm Boris.
Experts from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have highlighted that such flooding events are expected to increase in frequency due to climate change, correlating with rising global temperatures. The current climate is approximately 1.2 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial levels, emphasizing the growing concerns related to climate-induced natural disasters.
