Italy braces itself for extreme weather as Storm Boris sweeping over Central Europe heads south.
At least 21 people have died as a result of heavy flooding caused by the storm in Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Romania.
Slovakia, Hungary and Croatia are on high alert for a risk of flooding as water levels are rising. Local media reports that Italy is now also on high alert, especially in the Emilia-Romagna, Marche, and Lazio regions.
Regions along the Czech-Polish border were heavily impacted, and many residents were evacuated as the storm left a trail of destruction.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said 13,500 people were evacuated and over 600 were rescued. The threat of flooding in the Czech Republic has since been gradually decreasing, as the country’s number of flood sites reduced from over 200 to just over 130. South Bohemia still remains at risk of flooding.
Villages bordering the Danube River also remain at risk of flooding, as the river’s water levels continue to increase.
For some, this nightmare has already become a reality. In the Pielach Valley and the Kamp Valley in Austria, entire villages are under water, and many people were forced to evacuate.
Hungary also fears the Danube River will spill over its banks in the country’s capital. The mayor of Budapest warned that the city might face the worst floods its seen in a decade.
Also in Poland, the fight against the floods continues. Local residents and emergency response teams joined efforts to secure rivers in some areas, and bring water and food to evacuated people in others.
Additional sources • EBU
