The death toll from floods that hit central Europe over the weekend has risen, with casualties reported in the Czech Republic, Poland and Austria.
In the Czech Republic, one person drowned in a stream near the town of Bruntal in the northeast of the country, while seven people remain missing.
Four people are known to have died in Poland, although an interior ministry spokesman said the exact cause of death had not yet been determined in at least one case.
And in Austria, two people in their 70s and 80s died in the northeast of the country. One of them, a resident of the town of Höbersdorf, apparently drowned while trying to pump water out of his apartment, according to Austrian media reports.
Eight deaths were recorded over the weekend in Poland, Romania and Austria, where a firefighter died during flood rescues.
While the situation has stabilized in some parts of Central Europe, others are bracing for more volatility and danger.
In Slovakia, the overflowing Danube River has caused flooding in the Old Town of the capital Bratislava, with local media reporting that water levels have exceeded 9m (30ft) and are expected to rise further.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on X that he had postponed all his international obligations “due to the severe weather conditions and ongoing flooding in Hungary”.
The highest rainfall total was in the Czech Republic. In the northeastern town of Jesenik, 473 mm (19 in) of rain has fallen since Thursday morning – five times the monthly average.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said the armed forces had been deployed to help areas devastated by the storm. In St Polten, more rain fell in four days than in the entire wettest autumn on record in 1950.
Villages and towns were submerged in eastern Romania. Emil Dragomir, mayor of Slobozia Conachi, told media that the flooding had had a devastating impact.
“If you were here, you would cry immediately, because people are desperate, their whole life’s work has gone up in smoke, some people only have the clothes they are wearing left,” he said.
Thousands of people have been evacuated in Poland, including staff and patients from a hospital in the town of Nysa. Roads have been severely disrupted and rail traffic has been suspended in many parts of the country.
On Monday morning, the mayor of Paczków in southwestern Poland urged residents to evacuate after water began to overflow into a nearby reservoir, endangering the town.
However, according to local officials, elsewhere in Poland, water levels are now falling.
The mayor of Klodzko, Michal Piszko, told Polish media that the water had receded and there were signs that the worst was over.
Video recorded on Monday morning showed streets in the city centre that were flooded on Sunday now free of water, although the video also showed the extent of damage to buildings.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Sunday that Ukraine had offered to send 100 rescue workers and special equipment to help with the flood damage, adding that the offer was “very touching”.
Further rain is expected throughout Monday and Tuesday in Austria, the Czech Republic and south-east Germany, where a further 100mm (4in) of rain could fall.
Although it could take days for flood waters to recede, the weather in central Europe is set to improve from mid-week with much drier conditions.
However, Storm Boris will move further south into Italy, where it will strengthen again and bring heavy rain. The Emilia-Romagna region will be worst affected, with 100-150mm (4-6in) of rain falling.
This could lead to flooding in the area.
