Central Europe preps for severe flooding

In Bechyne, emergency services have erected mobile flood barriers on the Luznice River. "We are preparing for the worst scenarios," said the Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala. Some rivers are expected to reach levels that typically occur only once a century. Almost the entire country is now experiencing heavy rain or flooding.

Around 60,000 households have already lost power. The Jihlava River burst its banks on Friday, with more rainfall expected. Around 400 liters of rain per square meter are forecast for parts of the Czech Republic, the equivalent of 40 centimeters across the country, which will then converge at lower points. By comparison, just 732 liters of rain fell per square meter for the entire year of 2023.

The Czech Republic is trying to buy time by releasing water from several dams, like this one at the Nove Mlyny Reservoir in the south, to make room for the expected rainfall. In neighboring Slovakia, the government aims to divert water to avoid flooding in the capital Bratislava.

In the Polish village of Glucholazy near the Czech border, 400 residents had to be evacuated. Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak was on site to oversee the rescue efforts. Residents also had to be evacuated from the village of Morow, where the Mora River had burst its banks. The high water alarm level has reportedly been exceeded at numerous water measuring stations across Poland.

Where no barriers exist, sandbags will hopefully help. Here in western Poland near the town of Odolanow, they are being used to prevent the typically tranquil Bartsch River from overflowing as the situation also worsens in Poland.

In Croatia, low-pressure system "Boris" has sparked the second-highest storm warning level. Some roads have been closed to vehicles such as motorcycles or caravans, which cannot withstand high winds.

There has also been considerable snowfall in large parts of the eastern Alps, particularly in Austria. While it may look idyllic here in the Austrian state of Styria, the early wintery weather has caused problems in many places.

Fallen trees and accidents amid the heavy snowfall have slowed traffic in Austria despite clearing efforts. Austrian Railways has advised people to avoid travel this weekend and some routes have already been closed.

Germany has also seen its share of snow and rain. The first flakes of the year fell in the Bavarian Alps, where the country’s highest peak, the Zugspitze, saw several centimeters of fresh powder.

The steady downpour is due to a "Vb" weather pattern, which is pronounced "five-b," as the "V" refers to the Roman numeral five. The same pattern caused flooding in southern Germany and beyond at the beginning of June. It’s when a low-pressure area carries very humid air from the Mediterranean and heads north to the eastern edge of the Alps, where it rises and discharges heavy snow and rainfall.

The Carola Bridge, which collapsed into Elbe River in Dresden on Wednesday night, is also causing problems in Germany. The debris could obstruct the flow of water, meanwhile the Elbe could rise to six to seven meters, compared to a normal level of two meters. Excavators are being used to clear the debris. "We're running out of time here," said a spokesperson for the Dresden fire department.

It is still quiet on the Oder River near the German-Polish border. But the water level is likely to rise significantly here too. In some parts of Poland, up to 150 liters of water per square meter are expected. Anyone living near rivers should be prepared for flooding, the Polish government has warned, adding that the supply of drinking water or electricity could fail intermittently.