Soldiers and firefighters worked tirelessly across Central Europe to deal with the aftermath of heavy flooding that affected a large part of the region including the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Austria. The flooding resulted in around 20 reported deaths and mass destruction of homes. The full human cost was still not clear, but casualties were reported in Romania, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Poland. Efforts were made to reinforce river embankments with sandbags and deliver essential supplies to cut-off communities.
As reports of looting surfaced, government and military authorities vowed to crack down on perpetrators. General Wiesław Kukuła, Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Army, announced the deployment of soldiers equipped with night vision and thermal imaging devices to support the police in areas where people had to leave for higher ground. Authorities in various places in Central Europe were preparing for the worst yet to come, with Budapest and Wroclaw expecting rising waters. Hungary deployed soldiers to reinforce barriers along the Danube while Wroclaw firefighters and soldiers worked through the night to strengthen river embankments with sandbags.
In Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, the deputy mayor for the environment mentioned the stabilization of the water level of the Danube, which was expected to gradually decrease. The historic center was saved thanks to mobile barriers, but there was still damage, including to tram lines. Major damage was also reported at the zoo and city forests. In the Czech Republic, efforts were made to help with clean-up and recovery after the flooding. The government approved the deployment of 2,000 troops to assist with these efforts, and regional elections were being organized despite several polling stations being damaged.
Online influencers advocated for change in Hungary following the president’s resignation in the wake of the flooding. Thousands of volunteers filled sandbags along the Danube, preparing for the breach of lower quays as waters continued to rise. Similarly, in Wroclaw, concerns were rising as the city expected the flood wave to peak around Friday, though predictions were not consistent. The city’s zoo called for volunteers to help fill sandbags to protect the area. In Nysa, Poland, residents banded together to save their town from rising waters, forming a human chain to pass sandbags to reinforce river banks.
As the floodwaters receded in some areas, debris was left behind, and efforts were made to prevent further damage and destruction. The damage caused by the flooding was expected to reach billions of euros, and clean-up efforts were underway in the hardest-hit regions. Despite the challenges posed by the flooding, communities came together to support one another and work to protect their homes and livelihoods from the devastating impact of the natural disaster.
