Hungary Danube waters reach decade high after Storm Boris

BUDAPEST: The Danube peaked at a 10-year high in a heavily fortified Budapest on Saturday with the water reaching the steps of parliament after deadly Storm Boris lashed Europe.

Torrential rains and strong winds have led to widespread flooding in central and eastern Europe since last week, killing 24 people and devastating towns and villages.

As the swollen Danube waters have moved south, Hungarian emergency workers have lugged sandbags to fortify settlements, including Budapest, where the river has flooded the embankment up to the steps of parliament.

The water came close to 2013 record levels before it began to recede on Saturday. “The last time it was this high I was only 10 or 11,” Beata Hargitai, a 22-year-old student, told AFP in downtown Budapest near the flooded area.”To move around in the capital is a bit more tricky but manageable. I am happy to see that things seem to go pretty well, in an orderly manner,” she added.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has cancelled all his international travels this week and went to inspect Budapest´s flood protection work on Saturday, said the focus was “on controlling the flood” with some “hard days” ahead to make sure dykes hold. Just north of Budapest, water has flooded the lower levels of houses near the Danube with people moving around on canoes in Szentendre town. “The lower parts of our village are under water,” Vilmos Nemet, a 50-year-old cook who lives uphill in nearby Tahitotfalu village, some 25 kilometres (16 miles) north of Budapest, told AFP.

So far, 24 people have died in Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland and Romania as the flood waters have demolished houses and fields, and heavily damaged road and rail infrastructure.

The flooding damaged or destroyed more than 18,000 buildings and facilities in Poland, according to the first estimates announced by the government on Saturday. Swollen rivers continued to threaten several settlements in western Poland, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk promising “massive aid” to the affected regions.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday announced 10 billion euros ($11 billion) in funds for EU member nations reeling from the devastation.

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.