"Increasing in frequency and intensity": specialist elucidates the reasons behind extreme downpours
14:34 Austrian Federal Railway Extends Travel Advisory Until ThursdayDue to the current severe weather incidents in significant areas of Austria, Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) have extended the urgent travel advisory that's been in effect since Friday, September 13, 2024, until Thursday, September 19, 2024. "We strongly suggest all passengers to postpone any non-essential travel during this period to a later date," ÖBB advises on its website. Previously purchased tickets remain valid until 22.9.
14:19 Death Toll from Flooding in Europe IncreasesThe death toll from flooding in parts of Austria, Poland, Romania, and the Czech Republic has gone up to at least eleven. Austrian authorities report two more fatalities. In the Czech Republic, one person drowned in the Krasovka river in the eastern region of Moravia-Silesia, as reported by police president Martin Vondrasek on public radio. Beforehand, eight fatalities had been recorded in the four countries. Czech authorities also report at least seven individuals missing.
14:04 Federal Government Extends Aid to Flood-Stricken EuropeansThe federal government declares its support for the individuals impacted by flooding in various European countries. "The people in our neighboring countries, our partners in Europe, and the people here must know: We are closely monitoring the situation and stand ready to help," says deputy government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann in Berlin. The devastation in Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Romania is often catastrophic. Hoffmann states: "We witness these images with horror and are distressed by the news of fatalities and missing individuals. On behalf of the federal government, I extend our condolences and sympathies to all those affected."
13:43 Orbán Delays Overseas Engagements Due to FloodingHungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán postpones all his "overseas engagements" due to flooding in Hungary. "Due to the extreme weather conditions and ongoing floods in Hungary, I have postponed all my overseas engagements," Orbán posts on X. He fails to provide further details. Orbán was scheduled to talk in a debate on the program of the six-month Hungarian EU Council presidency in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday. The right-wing populist politician frequently faces harsh criticism from the European Parliament and the European Commission.
13:12 Ostrava Under Water: Dike Ruptures in Czech Republic's Third-Largest CityEvacuations have been extended in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, due to an acute flood danger. "There have been visible dike breaks in several districts," says Environment Minister Petr Hladik after an emergency meeting. Residents were partly rescued by inflatable boats. According to estimates, about 100 cubic meters of water per second are flowing through the breaks. Efforts are being made to fill the gaps with stones. Ostrava, with around 285,000 inhabitants, is located at the confluence of various rivers, including the Oder and the Opava. The mining and industrial city is located approximately 280 kilometers east of Prague. Train traffic to Ostrava and further towards Poland remains completely disrupted. A power plant had to be shut down. In nearby Bohumin, power and mobile networks went down due to flooding. The water supply collapsed in many places.
12:33 Rain Record: 450 Liters of Rain per Square Meter in Czech TownThe rainfall from depression "Anett" is immense: Since Friday, 450 liters of rain per square meter have fallen in Serec, Czech Republic, near the border with Poland. This is the highest rainfall of recent days, explains ntv.de weather expert Oliver Scheel. In Germany, Ruhpolding/Berchtesgadener Land holds the lead with 320 liters in four days. In Austria, 364 liters fell in the St. Pölten area, and 369 liters in Lilienfeld. In Vienna, 279 liters were measured, but then the measuring stations failed, so exact amounts are not available currently. In Poland, the most rain fell in Katowice, with 200 liters.
12:25 Romania: Floodwaters Claim Six Lives in Carpathian RegionHeavy rain and severe flooding in the Carpathian region of Romania have reportedly resulted in at least six deaths. The regions of Galati, Vaslui, and Iasi in the east of the country were mainly affected. Around 300 people had to be rescued, and about 6,000 farmhouses were flooded. Among the victims mainly are elderly people, including two women aged 96 and 86. The highest flood warning level remains in effect until midday. Remote villages are primarily affected. People climbed onto rooftops to avoid being swept away by the floods. Hundreds of firefighters were deployed.
11:33 Austria: Two Additional Lives Claimed by FloodsIn Austria, two more individuals have succumbed to the flooding incidents, as per police reports. A 70-year-old man and an 80-year-old man lost their lives in their respective homes in communities in Lower Austria. The elderly men were unfortunately victims of the floodwater inside their residences. Earlier, a firefighter also lost his life while working on pumping out a basement. Extreme weather conditions prevail in eastern Austria due to continuous rain for several days. Over 1800 buildings have already been evacuated, and numerous roads have been closed due to flooding.
11:01 Wroclaw Braces for FloodwavePost heavy storms and flooding in southwestern Poland, Wroclaw (Breslau) in Lower Silesia is gearing up for an incoming wave of floodwater. Mayor Jacek Sutryk has declared an imminent flood alert for the city on the Oder River. Measures include constant monitoring of dikes, controlling and protecting canals, and closing dike crossings, as per Sutryk's announcement on Facebook. The floodwave is expected to reach Wroclaw on Wednesday. Earlier forecasts suggesting minimal impact on Wroclaw have been revised, according to the mayor. Although the flood is not predicted to reach the intensity of the 1997 Oder flood that submerged a third of the city, Sutryk emphasizes the improved infrastructure, with new dikes, retention basins, and polders. He hopes that the floodwaters will not enter the city.
10:35 Austrian Leader on Flood Situation: "It Remains Critical"Despite a brief pause in overnight rainfall, the flood situation in eastern Austria remains highly tense. "It's not over, it remains critical, it remains dangerous," says Lower Austria's Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner. Up to 80 liters of rain per square meter are expected regionally on Monday. A major concern now is the dams, with authorities warning of the highest risk of dam failure. Public life almost comes to a halt with over 200 roads closed, 1800 buildings evacuated, and many students and kindergarten children staying home, Mikl-Leitner reports. Around 3500 households are currently without power. The extent of the damage is currently impossible to estimate. "Aid will be provided to flood victims in any case," says the state leader. In recent days, up to 370 liters of rain per square meter have fallen regionally in Lower Austria - several times the usual monthly amount.
10:10 On the Brink of Level Three: Elbe Levels PersevereIn Saxony, Elbe levels continue to rise. According to the state's flood center, the level in Dresden was at 5.54 meters in the morning. The six-meter mark is expected to be surpassed later in the day. Reaching this value would trigger the second-highest alarm level three. Floods can potentially affect built-up areas. The level in Schöna on the Elbe near the Czech border has already reached this level, with a value of 6.09 meters. Alarm level three is also effective at the Lusatian Neiße near the Polish border. The water level there was at 5.56 meters, just a few centimeters away from the highest alarm level four. A section of the federal road 99 in Görlitz has been closed for safety reasons, a police spokesman confirmed. The warning level for level three is 4.80 meters here.
09:49 Century Flood in Czech Republic: Man Perishes in FloodsAuthorities in the Czech Republic have confirmed the first fatality in the floods. At least seven individuals are missing. A person drowned in the small river Krasovka in the district of Bruntal in the eastern part of Moravia-Silesia, as per police president Martin Vondrasek on public radio. Three persons who were in a car that slipped into a raging river near Jesenik in the Hrubý Jeseník Mountains are among the missing. No trace of the vehicle has been found. Other individuals fell into various bodies of water such as the Otava river. A man from an elderly home on the border with Poland is also missing. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala described it as a so-called century flood - a flood that statistically occurs once in a century in the same place. Before that, fatalities from flooding had been reported from other EU countries (see entry 06:40): A firefighter died in Austria, a man in Poland, and six people died in Romania.
09:17 Woman Checks Water Level in Goerlitz and Plunges into NeißeA woman slipped into the Neiße while checking the water level in Goerlitz. Initial police reports suggest that the woman slipped at the edge of the water near the Parkhotel Merkur and plunged into the river. She drifted roughly 700 meters in the Neiße before pulling herself out near the Vierradmuhle weir. She is currently being treated at a clinic for hypothermia.
09:00 THW Gears Up for Major Flooding Operations on Elbe and OderThe German Technical Relief Agency (THW) is getting ready for potential floods in eastern Germany. As per THW chief Fritz-Helge Voss during ZDF's "Morning Magazine," larger teams are being readied for the Elbe and Oder. Voss advises residents in affected areas to assemble a small emergency kit. He acknowledges that the necessary extreme weather scenario hasn't arrived yet, but Germany has been fortunate so far. By the week's end, the Elbe, Neiße, and Oder rivers are expected to flood. Over the weekend, around 140 THW staffers were deployed in Bavaria and Saxony, including at Dresden's damaged Carolabridge. This year, Germany has already faced four major flooding episodes, emphasizes Voss, emphasizing the need for preparation and equipment investment. "In the end, these are climate change costs," he concludes.
08:43 Polish Cabinet to Hold Crisis MeetingAfter severe flooding in southwestern Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk has called an emergency cabinet meeting on Monday. Tusk has drafted a decree to declare a state of emergency, but the decision requires cabinet approval. The ongoing downpour in southwestern Poland, near the Czech border, has led to flooding. Nysa in the Opole region was particularly impacted overnight, with the local hospital's emergency room inundated by Glatzer Neiße river water. A total of 33 patients, including children and pregnant women, were evacuated using boats.
08:15 Bavaria: More Rain and Rising Water Levels AnticipatedThe flood situation in Bavaria remains precarious in certain areas, with more rain foretold. There have been no significant changes in the affected regions during the night, as per police reports. However, the reprieve is not in sight yet: the High Water Information Service (HWIS) anticipates further rises in water levels as rain bids farewell to the week's start. Passau's Danube, Vilshofen's Vils, and Munich's Isar are among the areas expected to see a rise. Improvement is expected from Wednesday, according to the German Weather Service (DWD). Until Tuesday, the DWD predicts constant rainfall from the Alps to the foreland, with possible rainfall intensities of 40 to 70 liters per square meter and a maximum of 90 liters in stagnant areas.
07:32 Czech Republic: No Sign of Relief - Water Levels Keep ClimbingThe flood and inundation areas in the Czech Republic see no respite. The March (Morava) flood wave reached Litovel, about 200 kilometers east of Prague, where entire streets were submerged. The authorities of the 10,000-inhabitant town urge citizens not to hinder emergency services. "We are expecting a further rise in the river's water level in the coming hours," warns the mayor on social media.
07:03 Dam Collapse Triggers Devastating Floods in PolandResidents of Poland's Glatzer Neiße region are worried about the floods moving towards their locality. Video footage captured the fury of the raging floodwaters.
06:40 Flood Misery in Europe: Deaths Reported in Poland and RomaniaPoland, the Czech Republic, and Lower Austria are grappling with the aftermath of a historic flood, while conditions in Romania continue to be critical after heavy rainfall. At least eight lives have been lost in various European countries due to the floods: a firefighter in Austria, a man in Poland, and six people in Romania.
06:12 Czech Republic: Mandatory Evacuations Due to FloodingSevere storms saw floodwaters engulf entire towns such as Jeseník in the Jeseníky Mountains and Krnov near the Polish border over the weekend. In Jeseník, emergency services rescued hundreds of people by boat and helicopter. After the floodwaters receded, there was a risk of landslides in several areas.
05:49 Cruise Ship Passengers Stranded in Vienna Due to FloodsCruise ship passengers are unable to depart from Vienna due to the severe floods brought on by heavy rain on the Danube. Around 100 passengers and 40 crew members onboard the "Thurgau Prestige" are currently unable to leave, according to SRF, citing Thurgau Travel. The passengers are unable to leave the ship as the pier's gangplank is flooded. Other ships in Vienna are also marooned, and authorities will decide when and if passengers can depart, according to Thurgau Travel. Passengers have been informed they may need to stay on the ship until at least Tuesday. The "Thurgau Prestige" was scheduled to travel from Linz to Budapest and back, but is now stuck in Vienna.
Tropical Storm "Anett," internationally known as "Boris," has wreaked widespread flooding and heavy rain in Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, and Romania. At least eight deaths have been reported so far.
The Netherlands has expressed its solidarity with the flood-affected countries in Europe, including Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Romania. The Dutch government has pledged to provide any necessary aid and support during this challenging time.
The flooding in Europe has also impacted neighboring countries, with the Netherlands experiencing high river levels due to the excess water from Austria and other countries. Authorities in the Netherlands have issued warnings and are closely monitoring the situation to prevent any potential flooding in Dutch areas.
