Ostrava submerges: Dam ruptures in the third largest urban area of the Czech Republic
14:33 Ostrava Expands Emergency Evacuations Due to Flooding
Due to the imminent danger of flooding, evacuations have expanded in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic. "Breaks have apparently occurred in several dike areas," says Environment Minister Petr Hladik following an emergency meeting. Residents have been partially evacuated using inflatable boats. Estimates suggest that around 100 cubic meters of water are flowing through these breaks per second. Efforts are being made to fill the gaps with stones. Ostrava, home to approximately 285,000 people, is located at the intersection of various rivers, including the Oder and the Opava. The industrial city is situated about 280 kilometers east of Prague. Train traffic to Ostrava and further towards Poland has been completely halted. A power plant had to be shut down. In neighboring Bohumin, power and mobile networks went down due to flooding. The water supply has failed in many areas.
12:33 Record Rainfall in Czech Town: 420 Liters per Square Meter
Rainfall from depression "Anett" is massive: Since Friday, approximately 450 liters of rain per square meter have fallen in Serec, a town in the Czech Republic near the Polish border. This is the highest rainfall in recent days, states ntv.de weather expert Oliver Scheel. In Germany, Ruhpolding/Berchtesgadener Land leads with a total of 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 the measuring stations later failed, so exact amounts are currently unavailable. In Poland, the most rain fell in Katowice, with a total of 200 liters.
12:25 Romania: Six Deaths Due to Flooding in Carpathian Region
Heavy rain and severe flooding have resulted in at least six fatalities in the Carpathian region of Romania. The regions of Galati, Vaslui, and Iasi in the east of the country have been particularly affected. Around 300 people had to be evacuated, and approximately 6,000 farmhouses have been flooded. The victims are primarily elderly people, including two women aged 96 and 86. The highest flood warning level remains in effect until midday. Remote villages are typically the most affected by the floodwaters. People took refuge on rooftops to avoid being swept away by the floods. Hundreds of firefighters were dispatched.
11:59 Flooding in Saxony: Elbe Level Surpasses Second Warning Level
Floodwaters in Saxony continue to rise. According to the state flood control center, the level in Dresden was 5.62 meters on Monday morning. The second warning level was issued on Sunday evening. The threshold for the third alarm level, which is at six meters, is expected to be exceeded early Tuesday morning. The Elbe level in Dresden may continue to rise until Wednesday evening and reach its peak. In Schönau on the border with the Czech Republic, the third alarm level has been activated with an Elbe water level of 6.13 meters. The flood control center predicts that the water levels will fall again at the Neisse in Görlitz. The highest point of a flood is called the peak.
11:33 Austria: Two More Lives Lost to Flooding
In Austria, two more lives have been claimed by flooding, according to police reports. A 70-year-old man and an 80-year-old man have perished in their respective homes in communities in Lower Austria, authorities have confirmed. Both men were victims of the floodwaters within their homes. On Sunday, a firefighter also lost his life while pumping out a basement. Extreme weather conditions have persisted in eastern Austria due to the continuous rain over the past few days. More than 1,800 buildings have been evacuated so far, and numerous roads are closed due to flooding.
11:01 Wroclaw Issues Flood Alert
Following severe storms and flooding in southwestern Poland, the city of Wroclaw (Breslau) in Lower Silesia is preparing for an impending flood wave. Mayor Jacek Sutryk has issued a flood alert for the city on the Oder River. Measures include round-the-clock monitoring of dikes, control and protection of canals, and the closure of dike crossings, as stated by Sutryk in a Facebook video. The flood wave is expected to reach Wroclaw on Wednesday. Previously, forecasts suggested that Wroclaw would not be as severely affected, but these have since been revised. While the flood is not expected to reach the height of the 1997 Oder flood, which submerged a third of the city, Sutryk emphasizes that the infrastructure is in better condition today, with new dikes, retention basins, and polders. He hopes that the floodwaters will not breach the city's defenses.
10:35 Governor on Flood Situation: "Still Critical" Despite a brief pause in the downpour, the flood predicament in eastern Austria continues to be severe. Lower Austria Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner mentions, "It's not over, it's still critical, it's still intense." On Monday, around 80 liters of rain per square meter might fall in certain areas. The authorities are worried about the stability of the dams, warning of a high chance of dam failure. Public life is essentially frozen, with over 200 roads blocked, nearly 1800 buildings evacuated, and numerous students and kindergarten children staying home. Over 3500 households currently lack power. The full extent of the damage is hard to quantify at the moment. "Assistance will be given to all flood victims," asserts the governor. In recent days, certain areas in Lower Austria have received up to 370 liters of rain per square meter - well beyond the typical monthly average.
10:10 Just before Alarm Level Three: Elbe River Levels Continue to Rise In Saxony, the Elbe River's water levels continue to surge. According to information from the state's flood center, the level in Dresden was 5.54 meters in the morning. It's predicted to exceed the 6-meter mark later today, triggering the second-highest alarm level three. This level may result in the flooding of inhabited areas. The level in Schōna on the Elbe close to the Czech border has already reached level three, with a reading of 6.09 meters. The Lausitzer Neiße in Görlitz near the Polish border is also at alert level three, with a reading of 5.56 meters, just a few centimeters away from level four. A segment of the B99 federal road in Görlitz has been shut down for safety concerns, confirms a police spokesperson. The warning level for stage three here is 4.80 meters.
09:49 Century Flood in Czech Republic: Man Drowns in Floodwaters The first reported casualty from the Czech Republic's flooding took place. Authorities have also reported at least seven missing individuals. A man drowned in the Krasovka river in the Bruntal district of Moravia-Silesia, as announced by police president Martin Vondrasek on public radio. The missing include three people whose car plunged into a raging river near Jesenik in the Hrubý Jeseník mountain range. No signs of the vehicle have been spotted. Other individuals fell into waters such as the Otava River. A man from a retirement home near the Polish border is also missing. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala describes the event as a "century flood," implying it occurs statistically once per century at the same location. Previously, other EU countries had also documented deaths from flooding (see entry 06:40): a firefighter in Austria, a man in Poland, and six individuals in Romania.
09:17 Woman Falls into Neiße River in Görlitz A woman slipped into the Neiße River while checking the water level in Görlitz. According to initial police reports, the woman fell at the water's edge near the Parkhotel Merkur and was carried roughly 700 meters downstream before she managed to pull herself out near the Vierradmuhle weir. She is currently being treated for hypothermia in a clinic.
09:00 THW Gears Up for Large-scale Operations on Elbe and Oder The German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) is preparing for potential flooding in eastern Germany. "We're preparing to send more personnel to the Elbe and Oder rivers if required," says THW department head Fritz-Helge Voss in the ZDF "Morning Magazine." Voss suggests that individuals in affected areas prepare a basic emergency kit. Voss notes that Germany has been fortunate so far but warns that the Elbe, Neiße, and Oder rivers are predicted to flood later this week. Over the weekend, the THW had already deployed around 140 personnel in Bavaria and Saxony, including at the collapsed Carolabridge in Dresden. Voss points out that this is the fourth major flood situation in Germany this year. He emphasizes the importance of being prepared and investing in equipment. "Eventually, these are climate change adaptation expenses," says Voss.
08:43 Polish Cabinet to Discuss State of Emergency Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has convened a crisis meeting of his cabinet on Monday morning due to the severe flooding in southwestern Poland. He has drafted a decree declaring a state of emergency, which the cabinet must approve. Persistent rain has triggered flooding in southwestern Poland, primarily affecting the town of Nysa in the Opole region near the Czech border. The floodwaters from the Glatzer Neiße, a tributary of the Oder, flooded the emergency room of the local hospital, as reported by the news agency PAP. A total of 33 patients, including children and pregnant women, were evacuated by boat.
08:15 Bavaria: More Downpours and Increasing Water Levels AnticipatedThe flood condition in certain parts of Bavaria continues to be on edge, with more showers predicted for the upcoming week. The central command post reports no notable shift in the situation overnight. Nevertheless, there's no sight of respite yet: the Flood Information Service (HND) forecasts a further rise in water levels, mainly along the Danube in Passau, the Vils in Vilshofen, and the Isar in Munich. Improvement is expected from Wednesday. Up until Tuesday, the Meteorological Service of Germany (DWD) forecasts continuous rainfall from the Alps to the foothills, with potential precipitation of 40 to 70 liters per square meter, and up to 90 liters in specific areas.
07:32 Czech Republic: No Relief in Sight – Water Levels Persistently RiseThere's no sign of abatement in the areas hit by floods and inundations in the Czech Republic. The flood surge on the Morava has reached Litovel, about 200 kilometers east of Prague, according to CTK news agency, with entire streets submerged underwater. The local authorities urged the public to avoid hindering emergency services. "We anticipate a further rise in the river's water level within the next few hours," the mayor warned on social media.
07:03 Dam Collapse: Disastrous Floods in PolandConcerns are mounting in Poland following a dam collapse, as the devastating floods march towards the region surrounding the Glatzer Neiße. Footage illustrates the force of the surging floodwaters.
06:40 Floods in Europe: Deaths in Poland and RomaniaPoland and the Czech Republic are grappling with the aftermath of a century's worth of flooding, and the situation is dire in Lower Austria after heavy rainfall. Several lives have been lost in various European countries due to flooding: a firefighter in Austria, a man in Poland, and six individuals in Romania.
06:12 Evacuations Due to Flooding in Czech RepublicHistoric storms have resulted in catastrophic flooding in cities such as Jesenik in the Hrubý Jeseník Mountains and Krnov on the Polish border. Jesenik required urgent rescue operations by boat and helicopter for hundreds of people. When the floodwaters receded, there was a risk of landslides in numerous locations.
05:49 Passengers Locked on Danube-Bound Cruise Ship in Vienna
Due to heavy downpours resulting in significant flooding on the Danube, passengers on a Swiss river cruise ship in Vienna are unable to disembark. Approximately 100 passengers and 40 crew members on board the "Thurgau Prestige" are presently barred from leaving the ship, which is tethered to the shore, as reported by Swiss broadcaster SRF, citing travel agency Thurgau Travel. Passengers cannot disembark due to the flooded gangway leading to the pier. According to media sources, other cruise ships in Vienna are also stranded. Thurgau Travel stated that local authorities will determine whether and when passengers can disembark. Passengers have been informed that they must remain on board until at least Tuesday. The "Thurgau Prestige" was scheduled to travel from Linz to Budapest and back, but is now stuck in Vienna.
The storm "Anett", internationally known as "Boris", has brought torrential rain and flooding to Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, and Romania. At least eight lives have been lost.
Bavaria is a region adjacent to the Czech Republic, known for its beer and scenic landscapes. Due to the persistent rainfall and rising water levels in Germany, the authorities in Bavaria have issued flood warnings and are anticipating further increases in water levels, particularly along the Danube in Passau, the Vils in Vilshofen, and the Isar in Munich.
In an effort to provide relief to affected areas, Bavaria's Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) is gearing up to send additional personnel to the Elbe and Oder rivers if required. The THW has already deployed around 140 personnel in Bavaria and Saxony, including at the collapsed Carolabridge in Dresden.
