Floods hit Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Austria: Several deaths reported

(Patria) - Emergency services are strengthening flood defenses across central and eastern Europe after heavy rains swelled rivers and damaged thousands of homes. Deaths have also been reported. Floods have hit Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, and Romania.

One person drowned in Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed today, Reuters reports.

"The situation is very dramatic, it is most dramatic in the Klodzko district," Tusk said after a meeting with the crisis team in the town of Klodzko.

Around 17,000 households in the region lost power, and some areas had no mobile phone service. Access to roads towards the towns of Ladek Zdroj and Stronie Slaskie was practically cut off, Tusk said. 1,600 people have been evacuated.

Klodzko, a town of 25,000 inhabitants, was partially under water as the local river rose to 665 cm, well above the alarm level of 240, surpassing the record set in the major floods of 1997, which partially damaged the town and claimed 56 lives in Poland.

Heavy rains have caused floods in southern Bavaria. The Regen River overflowed in Cham, leading to floods in residential and industrial areas.

According to reports, the largest rise in water levels is expected in the Bavarian town of Passau, on the border with Austria.

Austria is also facing heavy floods. According to Austrian media, some buildings can only be reached by boat. The professional fire service says people were evacuated in the early morning hours.

On Sunday at 9 AM, the Wien River flowing through Vienna had a water level of 2.26 meters in the area of Kennedy Bridge. At the same time the previous day, it was 50 centimeters.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer thanked all the services on the ground and announced that schools in the affected areas will not be open tomorrow. The relevant services and the government are in constant contact and session to provide timely assistance to those affected.