Storm Boris unleashes central Europe flooding, toll hits 15

VIENNA: Flooding sparked by Storm Boris in central Europe has burst dams, knocked out power and killed at least 15 people, authorities said on Monday as some communities were cut off four days into the disaster.

High winds and unusually heavy rainfall have hit swathes of Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia since Friday. “I have lived here for 16 years, and I have never seen such flooding,” Judith Dickson, who lives in Austria´s Sankt Poelten city, told the national broadcaster ORF.

Experts say climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions generated by human activities is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as torrential rains and floods.

The rains from Boris have flooded streets and submerged entire neighbourhoods in some places, while shutting down public transport and electricity in others. In Austria, a 70-year-old and 80-year-old were found dead in their flooded homes in two communities in Lower Austria, the worst-hit province, police said.

One firefighter died over the weekend while responding to the flooding that authorities have described as “dramatic”. Parts of Austria have been inundated since Thursday by five times the average amount of rain the country gets for the entire month of September, according to forecaster Geosphere.