Storm Boris has wreaked havoc across central and eastern Europe, causing widespread flooding and high winds since Thursday. The severe weather has resulted in multiple fatalities, including one person who drowned in Poland and a firefighter who died while responding to the floods in Austria.
Authorities have confirmed that the storm has claimed at least five lives, with four deaths reported in Romania and one in Poland. The heavy rainfall has led to extensive evacuations and severe damage across Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia.
In Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk reported the first confirmed death due to drowning in the Klodzko region near the Polish-Czech border. Around 1,600 people have been evacuated from their homes in the area, and Polish authorities have deployed the army to assist firefighters dealing with the emergency.
A firefighter in Lower Austria, which has been declared a natural disaster zone, also lost his life in the floods. Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner confirmed the death, noting that emergency services had conducted nearly 5,000 interventions overnight. The flooding in Lower Austria has trapped many residents, prompting a large-scale rescue effort.
In addition, the Polish government has closed the Golkowice border crossing with the Czech Republic due to flooding and has shut several roads and halted train services between Prudnik and Nysa. In the Czech Republic, authorities are searching for four missing individuals, including three people who were in a car swept away by floodwaters in Lipova-Lazne and another person swept away in the southeast.
A dam burst in southern Czech Republic, further exacerbating the flooding and affecting nearby towns and villages. In Romania, the death toll has risen to five, with significant damage reported in Galati, where 5,000 homes have been affected. President Klaus Iohannis highlighted the dramatic consequences of climate change as the country grapples with the crisis.
Austria’s Tyrol region has experienced exceptional snowfall, with up to one meter (three feet) of snow covering the area—an unusual occurrence for mid-September. Rail services in eastern Austria have been suspended, and several metro lines in Vienna have been closed due to the threat of the Wien River overflowing its banks. Firefighters in Vienna have been busy clearing storm debris and pumping water from flooded basements.
In Slovakia, a state of emergency has been declared in the capital, Bratislava, as the storm’s effects continue to impact the region. Heavy rain is expected to persist in the Czech Republic and Poland until at least tomorrow, keeping authorities on high alert.
