VISNOVA, Czech Republic—Flooding in eastern Romania killed at least four people and damaged hundreds of houses on Saturday, officials said, as rising river levels prompted authorities across central and eastern Europe to issue an alarm following days of severe rain.
Tens of thousands of families in Romania and the Czech Republic were left without electricity, with more rain expected in the following days. Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, southern Germany, and sections of Austria are also anticipated to get further heavy rain.
Residents of certain villages along the Czech-Polish border were evacuated as rivers rose over warning thresholds, while Prague, the Czech capital, which experienced disastrous flooding in 2002, implemented flood prevention measures.
Flooding impacted eight counties in Romania, according to the country's emergency force, and Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu paid a visit to Galati county, where four people were killed, 5,000 dwellings were destroyed, and 25,000 were left without electricity.
Television images from the area showed streets flooded with muddy water, silt and debris as rescuers led residents to safety.
“The priority is obviously to save lives. At this moment we have all the necessary logistics to intervene quickly,” Ciolacu said.
The downpour struck hardest in the Czech Republic's northern and northeastern regions, with 51,000 families losing power, according to the CTK news agency.
Forecasters warned that certain sections of the nation might get more than a third of their typical annual rainfall by Sunday, with Environment Minister Petr Hladik encouraging residents in the worst affected districts to prepare to abandon their homes.
Roman Christof, a resident of Visnova, 140 kilometers (87 miles) north of Prague, said his cottage escaped damage because it was constructed on higher ground. Others were less lucky, he explained.
“I feel sorry for the neighbours,” he said as he surveyed the floodwaters.
Flood barriers have been installed in Prague, a city of over 1.3 million people located on the banks of the Vltava River and crossed by the majestic 14th-century Charles Bridge.
Following the 2002 floods, which raced through the subway system and displaced tens of thousands of people, the city made significant investments in preventive measures.
The Prague Zoo, located along the Vltava River, was closed to tourists, while Czech Railways reported that services on dozens of lines had been affected. In Brno, the country's second-largest city, a hospital evacuated patients as a precaution.
In Glucholazy, a medieval town in southern Poland near the Czech border, firemen put hundreds of sandbags alongside a flooded river, forcing some inhabitants to flee.
According to Polish Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak, meteorological projections indicate that substantial rains will fall near the Czech border during the next 24 hours, flowing rivers into Poland.
“We are facing a critical night, full mobilisation is required,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on the X platform.
Officials in neighbouring Slovakia have warned of floods in the city, Bratislava, due to the swollen Danube, while Hungary expects the river to reach near-record levels in the coming days.
In Austria, emergency services were coordinating with district governors and municipalities to plan evacuations.
According to Chancellor Karl Nehammer, all federal states are impacted, and the situation is deteriorating, notably in the northeastern state of Lower Austria.
“The coming days will still be extremely difficult and challenging for the affected population and the emergency services,” Nehammer said on X.
