Residents across Central Europe are grappling with the aftermath of Storm Boris, which has caused devastating floods and claimed the lives of at least 21 people. From Romania to Poland, the destruction caused by the deluge has been immense, with historic towns, bridges, and houses being swept away by gushing rivers.
Volunteers and emergency workers in Wroclaw, Poland, raced against time to secure river banks as waters continued to rise. Despite the efforts, tens of thousands of households in Czech Republic and Poland remained without power or freshwater. The situation was particularly dire in Lewin Brzeski, where residents waded through waist-high water while emergency services evacuated them to safety.
In Czech Republic, Governor Josef Belica reported that 15,000 people had been evacuated from the Moravia-Silesia region. Meanwhile, in Hungary, mobile dams were put in place to limit flooding from the Danube, while Budapest prepared for waters to crest near record levels.
The widespread devastation caused by the floods has prompted discussions on climate change and its role in extreme weather events. Experts have pointed out that human activities, such as greenhouse gas emissions, are contributing to the increasing frequency and intensity of floods and other natural disasters.
As the cleanup and reconstruction efforts begin across the region, it remains to be seen how communities will recover from the catastrophic impact of Storm Boris and whether measures will be taken to mitigate the effects of future extreme weather events.
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