Floods triggered by Storm Boris have claimed the lives of four people in Romania, as heavy rains and strong winds caused widespread devastation across central and eastern Europe. Since Thursday, the storm has impacted Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia, bringing torrential downpours and high winds.
Romania’s southeastern region of Galati has been the hardest hit, with rescue services reporting the discovery of four bodies and severe damage to 5,000 homes. Hundreds have been evacuated across 19 regions of the country. In Slobozia Conachi village, over 700 homes were flooded, with Mayor Emil Dragomir calling it “a catastrophe of epic proportions.” Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu visited the affected area, while President Klaus Iohannis expressed his condolences and highlighted the growing effects of climate change on Europe.
Elsewhere, the Czech Republic has mobilized 100,000 firefighters, responding to nearly 2,900 incidents caused by fallen trees and flooding. Thousands of homes remain without power, and a hospital in Brno had to be evacuated. Slovakia declared a state of emergency in its capital, Bratislava, while Poland faces similar challenges in the southwest, closing roads and halting train services.
Austria has seen wind speeds reach up to 146 kilometers per hour, with parts of the country, including the Tyrol, blanketed in snow an unusual event for mid-September. Authorities are bracing for further disruptions as the storm continues to sweep across the region.