News Insights
Extreme rainfall ravages Central European countries
Extreme rainfall in Poland, Czechia, Hungary, Romania, and Austria has caused enormous devastation. Storm Boris brought hundreds of millimeters of water in a short time, resulting in widespread flooding. The impact on villages, cities, and agriculture is gigantic.
Cold air from the north and warm air from the south mixed in Central and Eastern Europe, and then trapped between two high-pressure areas, creating a weather pattern where massive amounts of precipitation fell in a short time. At higher altitudes, this precipitation fell as snow. It is the first time that snow has fallen in the Austrian Alps in September.
Dramatic footage of the flooding yesterday in Lądek-Zdrój
— DISASTER TRACKER (@DisasterTrackHQ) September 16, 2024
Silesia Province | Poland
September 15, 2024#flooding #floods #PolandFloods #Poland pic.twitter.com/baxpT51Hwf
500 millimeters of precipitation
In Poland, President Donald Tusk declared the precipitation an official natural disaster. Especially the south, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, is affected. On the other side of the Giant Mountains, in Czechia, the disaster is possibly even greater. In four days, almost 500 millimeters of precipitation fell, while the country averages 700 millimeters per year. Residents in the various countries are bracing themselves as the floods are not yet over.
Other countries dealt with slightly less water, but the heavy rainfall still causes problems. In Poland, it is 120 millimeters or more, and in Romania, 160 millimeters fell in a day. The water level of the Danube River has almost reached a record level.
Impact on agriculture
The impact on the agricultural sector varies by country and is difficult to determine at this time. The Czech Ministry of Agriculture warns of damage to crops. Especially potatoes and sugar beets are mentioned, as they are still in the field and very sensitive to waterlogging. Erosion is also a problem. Livestock farms are also affected by floods, with some barns standing in water.
The waterlogging follows a very hot summer, sometimes the warmest ever recorded, and severe drought in Central Europe. In 1997, the countries were also shocked by a devastating amount of precipitation. The current extreme weather is comparable to or even worse than 27 years ago.
