- Entire Polish city asked to evacuate as floods wreak havoc
- People told to move to higher ground as embankment could breach
- Central and Eastern Europe dealing with the aftermath of Strom Boris
Entire Polish city asked to evacuate as floods wreak havoc
The mayor of Nysa, a city in Poland, has urged all 44,000 residents to evacuate as severe flooding continues to ravage central Europe. Kordian Kolbiarz, the city’s mayor, called for people to move to higher ground, warning of the potential for an embankment breach that could release a surge of water from a nearby lake into the town.
The death toll from the weekend floods has risen to at least 16, with seven confirmed fatalities in Romania. Other casualties have been reported in Austria, the Czech Republic, and Poland. In Hungary, authorities in Budapest are preparing to close roads near the Danube River, which poses a flood risk later this week.
“Please evacuate your belongings, yourselves, and your loved ones,” Mayor Kolbiarz urged in a statement. “It’s crucial to get to higher floors as the water wave could be several meters high, potentially flooding the entire town.”
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that one billion zloty (£197m) will be allocated to assist flood victims in Poland, and the government has declared a state of natural disaster. Poland will also seek EU relief funds to support recovery efforts.
While conditions have improved in some areas, other parts of central Europe remain at risk as floods, triggered by Storm Boris, continue to threaten more regions. In Slovakia, the Danube River has overflowed, flooding parts of the Old Town in Bratislava. Water levels there have surpassed 9 meters (30 feet) and are expected to rise further. Hungary is also bracing for floods in the coming days, with warnings issued along a 500 km (310 mile) stretch of the Danube.