Several dead in Romania as eastern Europe struck by torrential rain and flooding
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At least four people have died after widespread flooding across eastern and central Europe.
More rainfall is expected in the coming days as surging river levels have put authorities on alert.
Tens of thousands of homes have been damaged so far in Romania and the Czech Republic, where more rain is forecast.
A man walks on a flooded road in Slobozia Conachi, Galati county, Romania. Pic: Reuters
The four deaths took place in eastern Romania in Galati county, where about 5,000 homes were damaged and 25,000 people were left without power.
The bodies of three older women and one man have been recovered, the Department for Emergency Situations said.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis offered his condolences to the victims’ families, saying: “We must continue to strengthen our capacity to anticipate extreme weather phenomena.
“Severe floods that have affected a large part of the country have led to loss of lives and significant damage.
“We are again dealing with the effects of climate change, which are increasingly present throughout the European continent, with dramatic consequences on people.”
Meanwhile, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, southern Germany, and parts of Austria also face more heavy rain.
‘I feel sorry for the neighbours’
The north of the Czech Republic bore the brunt of the country’s flooding with more than 50,000 houses left without power, according to local media.
Forecasters said that some parts of the country could see more than a third of their average annual rainfall by Sunday, with a government minister urging those in the worst-hit areas to prepare to leave their homes.
Police said a 54-year-old man is missing after he fell into a flooded stream in the southeast of the country, while three people were reportedly swept away in a car in the northeast and their whereabouts are unknown.
The Bela River flows past a church during floods in Mikulovice, Czech Republic. Pic: AP
In the village of Visnova, 87 miles (140km) north of Prague, Roman Christof’s cottage escaped damage because it was built on higher land.
“I feel sorry for the neighbours,” he said as he surveyed the floodwaters that had hit other locals.
Speaking about the weekend, Czech Republic Prime Minister Petr Fiala said: “We have to be ready for worst-case scenarios. A tough weekend is ahead of us.”
Residents watch the flow of the Bela River during floods in Czech Republic. Pic: AP
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‘Disaster zones’
In neighbouring Austria, 24 villages in the northeast Lower Austria province were declared by authorities to be “disaster zones” and evacuation orders started on Saturday afternoon.
“The coming hours will be the hours of truth for flood protection, for our emergency forces and numerous compatriots,” said the province’s state governor, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, adding that in one area “we expect challenges of historical dimensions”.
Austrian firefighters assemble a barrier along the Danube amid the ongoing heavy rainfall. Pic: Reuters
Chancellor Karl Nehammer said: “The coming days will still be extremely difficult and challenging for the affected population and the emergency services.”
In Vienna, special flood relief channels built in the 1970s and 80s to drain the Danube River are expected to be tested over the weekend.
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‘Critical night’ ahead
In Poland, ahead of the weekend, authorities appealed to people to stock up on food and prepare for power outages.
Dozens of people have been evacuated from their homes in the Nysa River basin as a precautionary measure after warnings of unprecedented rainfall.
“We are facing a critical night, full mobilisation is required,” prime minister Donald Tusk said.
