Central Europe braces for further flooding 'apocalypse' as death toll rises
JESENIK/LITOVEL,
Czech Republic Sept 16 (Reuters) - Residents of several areas of Poland
and the Czech Republic rushed to evacuate on Monday as others in
central Europe began cleaning up after the worst flooding in over two
decades left a trail of destruction and a rising number of deaths.
Border
areas between the Czech Republic and Poland were hit hard over the
weekend as heavy rain that has fallen since last week and surging water
levels collapsed some bridges, forced evacuations and damaged cars and
houses.
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At least 17 people have died in flooding from Romania to Poland in the past few days.
On
Monday afternoon, the mayor of Nysa, a town of more than 40,000 people
in southern Poland, called on residents to evacuate immediately after a
nearby floodbank was damaged.
General view taken by drone of a flooded area by Nysa Klodzka river in Nysa, Poland September 16. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel Purchase Licensing Rights
In
the northeastern Czech city of Ostrava, a broken barrier on the Odra
river at its confluence with the Opava river caused flooding of the
city's industrial area including the BorsodChem chemical plant, coking
plant OKK Koksovny and others. Hundreds of people were being evacuated
from more residential areas as well.
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In
the Czech town of Litovel, 70% of which was submerged by water up to a
metre deep (3.2 feet) on Monday, residents described their fear as
waters rose quickly over the weekend.
"I was just very, very afraid... I ran away because the water was rising very quickly near the house," said Renata Gaborova, 39.
'APOCALYPSE'
Poland's
government announced a state of natural disaster in affected areas and
said that it had set aside 1 billion zlotys ($260 million) to help
victims.
Prime
Minister Donald Tusk said he was in touch with the leaders of other
affected countries and that they would ask the European Union for
financial aid.
Szymon Krzysztan, 16, standing in the town square of Ladek Zdroj, described losses from the floods as "unimaginable".
"It's a city like in an apocalypse... It's a ghost town," he said.
Reuters footage showed the town strewn with debris and mud.
[1/11]A
view of a damaged house, in the aftermath of flooding following heavy
rainfalls, in Jesenik, Czech Republic, September 16. REUTERS/David W
Cerny Purchase Licensing Rights
"Armageddon...
It literally ripped out everything because we don't have a single
bridge. In Ladek, all bridges have disappeared. We are practically cut
off from the world," Jerzy Adamczyk, 70, told Reuters.
In
Jesenik, a Czech town across the border that was inundated on Sunday, a
clean-up was starting after waters receded to show damaged cars and
debris on the streets.
A
man shovels as he stands in floodwater at a flooded area, following
heavy rainfall in Jesenik, Czech Republic, September 15, 2024.
REUTERS/David W Cerny Purchase Licensing Rights
"There
were two metres of water that ran through the street... There are many,
many destroyed cars," said resident Zdenek Kuzilek. "Telephones are not
working, there is no water, no electricity."
In
eastern Romania, where villages and towns were submerged over the
weekend, Emil Dragomir, mayor of Slobozia Conachi, told Romanian
television some people had been left with just the clothes they had on.
PREPARATION
While
water was receding in some areas, others, including Wroclaw, a Polish
city of some 600,000 people, were shoring up defences for floodwaters
heading their way.
In
Romania, the flooding killed seven people over the last few days. An
Austrian firefighter died on Sunday. In the state of Lower Austria that
surrounds Vienna, two men aged 70 and 80 were found drowned in their
homes, a police spokesperson said on Monday.
A
person stands beside an overturned vehicle, following heavy rainfalls
in Bela pod Pradedem, near Jesenik, Czech Republic, September 16.
REUTERS/David W Cerny Purchase Licensing Rights
Polish
police said four people died as a result of floods in Poland, and in
the Czech Republic three have died, a police official said.
Slovakia's
capital Bratislava and the Hungarian capital Budapest were both
preparing for possible flooding as the River Danube rose.
Hungarian
Interior Minister Sandor Pinter said efforts were focused on keeping
the river and its tributaries within their banks and said up to 12,000
soldiers were on standby to help.
In
Austria, the levels of rivers and reservoirs fell overnight as rain
eased but officials said they were bracing for a second wave as heavier
rain was expected.
($1 = 3.8398 zlotys)
(This story has been refiled to add a dropped last name in the byline)
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Reporting by Jason Hovet and Jan Lopatka in Prague, Pawel Florkiewicz and Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk in Warsaw, Luiza Ilie in Bucharest, Gergely Szakacs and Krisztina Than in Budapest, Francois Murphy in Vienna, Writing by Jason Hovet and Alan Charlish; Editing by Angus MacSwan, Ros Russell, Sharon Singleton and Hugh Lawson
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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