A massive rainstorm moves in over several countries in Eastern and Central Europe. The storm is called Boris but in Germany Anett. It formed over the northern Mediterranean and is expected to bring extreme rainfall. In some places, it is expected to rain continuously until Sunday.
– On Friday, until noon, one end of the area was over the border between the Czech Republic and Poland, and the other over Slovenia. The storm stretches through the Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria. Until Sunday evening, it will slowly move north. That is why it will rain for so long, Marek Błaś, a meteorologist at the University of Wrocław told the newspaper.
The rainy weather has moved in over Poland and so far it is the southern parts that have been most affected. The worst has been in Głuchołazy, where several hundred residents have been evacuated. In the Biała Głuchołaska River, which runs through the city, the water level has risen to two meters above the alarm level and there are heavy floods. In Jarnołtówek, not far away, a rainfall of 144 millimeters was measured on Friday.
In southern Poland, several weather warnings were issued on Saturday morning in various places in the country, several of which were of the most serious degree. During the morning, a crisis meeting will be held in which Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak will participate.
Preparing with barriers
Also in the Czech Republic, it has been raining heavily since Thursday and the highest flood warning has been issued throughout the country except for western Bohemia.
Among the hardest hit areas will be rivers that drain the mountain areas in the north-east of the country, below the Jeseníky and Beskydy mountains but also the Šumava mountains in the south-west.
For several days, reservoirs have been emptied and barriers have been set up in risk areas. Individuals have laid out sandbags to protect their houses from flooding. Czech media believe that the rainy weather could cause the worst floods in 50 years, according to Radio Prague International.
– We are preparing for the worst scenarios, says Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala according to Süddeutsche Zeitung.
The storm is expected to continue over the Alps and Austria. In Germany, it is believed that the rain will be worst in south-eastern Bavaria, where it will rain until Tuesday.