Thousands evacuated in Poland as Hungary prepares for Danube to flood
Baku, September 19, AZERTAC
Thousands of people in Poland have been evacuated due to the risk of a reservoir overflowing, as the catastrophic effects of storm Boris continued to be felt across Central Europe on Tuesday.
According to EFE, at least 19 people have died due to the storm, which has wreaked havoc in Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Austria.
Residents of the southern Polish town of Nysa, have been ordered to evacuate due to the imminent danger of the reservoir flooding, after several breaches were detected.
The western city of Wroclaw is also preparing for the Oder River to flood. Residents of one of the city’s suburbs have been alerted to be prepared to evacuate.
Four people have died in Poland since the storm struck late last week.
In Austria, where thousands of people have also had to be evacuated, an 81-year-old woman was found dead in her home on Tuesday, bringing the death toll in the country to five.
She was found in Würmla, in Lower Austria, the worst affected state, where some areas saw a month’s worth of rain in just five days.
In Vienna, the situation has improved and metro lines that were closed due to the floods are expected to reopen on Wednesday.
The risk of further flooding has receded throughout the country, and the weather forecast for the next few days does not predict heavy rainfall.
Meanwhile, in Budapest, the Danube is expected to rise to the highest levels in 10 years, and there are fears that the river could overflow.
“The biggest flood of the last decade is approaching Budapest, so since Monday night we closed the docks, as well as Margaret Island (in the city center),” Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony said Tuesday.
Authorities are installing mobile dikes and temporary dams to cope with flooding in the vicinity of the river.
In the Czech Republic, more than 60,000 homes were still without power on Tuesday due to storm damage.
The situation remains critical on the banks of the Opava and Oder rivers, which have left cities such as Krnov, Opava and Bohumin under water.
Material damage in Bohumin exceeds 40 million euros, according to the local government.
Three people have died and eight are still missing.
In Bratislava, the capital of neighboring Slovakia, the Danube River rose to almost 10 meters, five times higher than usual. Residents of the Devinska Nova Ves district have had to be evacuated.
The government estimates that the storm has caused 20 million euros-worth of damage.
In Romania, where seven people have died due to floods in the east of the country, authorities have deployed 100 firefighters in Galati, the most affected county. Another 1,000 military personnel are already working on protection and rescue operations.
Some 6,000 homes have been affected by the floods.
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