Lamentably, six lives were lost as the heaviest downpours in decades swept through sections of central and eastern Europe.
A leisurely-moving atmospheric low pressure system named Storm Boris unleashed a month's worth of precipitation upon various European historical city centers, such as Vienna, Bratislava, and Prague. This persistent downpour persisted through Sunday as well.
Regrettably, one individual lost their life due to drowning in Klodzko county, southwest Poland, as reported by Reuters on Sunday. Similarly, a firefighter perished in the line of duty in Lower Austria, Austria, with the fire department's representative confirming the sad news to CNN.
This unfortunate event followed four fatalities in Romania, where the incessant rainfall left numerous individuals stranded in flooded regions.
"The impact was most severe in seven locations," Romania's Interior Minister Cătălin Predoiu told CNN affiliate Antena 3. "They have already intervened there to rescue 95 people. Unfortunately, four people were discovered dead in their homes or yards."
Emergency services were initiated in the afflicted counties as authorities warned of the heaviest rainfall recorded in a century over the previous 24 hours.
Rivers in Poland and the Czech Republic have overflowed their banks. In Klodzko county, southwest Poland, 1,600 people were evacuated as local rivers attained record high water levels and breached their banks. Klodzko, a city with a population of 25,000, was partially submerged in water on Sunday.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk addressed the media Sunday, stating that the situation is "extraordinarily dramatic" and "most dramatic in Klodzko county," according to Reuters.
"I'm urging residents to collaborate with rescue services when evacuation orders are issued," Tusk added.
Major flooding is anticipated to persist in the Czech Republic, where authorities have mandated compulsory evacuations in specific areas. Footage released by the Czech Republic Fire and Rescue Service showed flooded streets in the southern Benešově nad Černou municipality, where two women defied evacuation orders and needed to be rescued by boat.
In Germany, southwestern and eastern states specifically are readying for flooding, with flood warnings being issued for rivers in the state of Saxony.
Heavy rainfall has caused water levels to escalate in various rivers in neighboring Austria, prompting rescue teams to be dispatched to affected areas. Numerous municipalities in Lower Austria have declared a state of emergency as the heavy rainfall persisted throughout Sunday.
Alerts of the highest severity, referred to as "red alerts," have been issued for select regions in Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Slovakia. These warnings encompass "intense meteorological phenomena" and "substantial damage is likely," as indicated by Meteoalarm.
CNN meteorologists Taylor Ward, Allison Chinchar, and Elliana Hebert contributed to this report.
Despite the widespread flooding and significant damage across Europe, international aid efforts are underway to assist those in need. For instance, Germany has pledged €10 million in emergency aid to affected countries.
The heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding have not spared the world stage, with extreme weather events becoming increasingly frequent and severe, raising concerns about climate change and its impact on our planet.
