Poland, Austria, Slovakia… Central Europe braces for worst floods in decades

Central Europe is bracing for what weather services predict will be the worst flooding in decades on Thursday, September 12, with Cyclone Boris expected to hit this weekend. Forecasters in the Czech Republic and Poland say some areas of their countries could see up to 400 litres of water per square metre over the next four days, while Austria and Slovakia are bracing for around 200 litres.

Cultural events planned for this weekend were cancelled in all four countries ahead of the passage of Cyclone Boris. Water retention facilities, mainly reservoirs at dams, were emptied to hold back the exceptional rains. In Poland, the alerts concern the south of the country, particularly cities located on the Oder, such as Wroclaw and Opole.

According to Czech Environment Minister Petr Hladik, the situation in his country “could be similar to that of 1997 and 2002”The 1997 floods hit Moravia in eastern Czech Republic, killing 50 people and causing billions of dollars in damage. The heaviest rainfall is still expected in this region.