Worst floods in Europe for 500 years?



"The water is swallowing the ground
floors of many buildings"

Central Europe is experiencing some of the worst flooding in recorded history. The suddenness of the floods caught people off-guard in this area which has had dramatic floods in the recent past: most noticeably 1997 and 2002.



 

Where?

The German town of Passau has been the worst effected. It is situated on the confluence of the river Inn and the Danube.

Source: BBC News

 

When?

The rising river levels began to cause concern early on Monday morning (03/06/13) and by Monday night many rivers had burst their banks and emergency services were in action across the area.

 

Why?

The flood has been caused by unusually high rainfall in the region: some newspapers were quoting "2 months' rain in just two days". The rainfall was very heavy and fell too fast to infiltrate into the ground and so the majority ran across the surface as overland flow or run-off. This meant that there was a sudden and dramatic rise in river levels: more than the drainage basin could cope with.

 

What has happened ... so far?

There have been mainly primary effects so far but longer term secondary effects will come in to play over the coming days and weeks.

 

Evacuation from Passau in Germany

 

 

Remember ...

Primary Effects are those that happen immediately such as buildings being inundated and people and property being swept away.

 

Secondary Effects are longer term effects such as interruptions to transport and communications as well as the long term cost of repairing the damage to property and the local economy.

 

Austria

• Two people have died and several are missing in the west of the country
• One of these deaths was a man who was swept away whilst trying to clear a landslide near Salzburg.
• Over 300 people evacuated from their homes in Salzburg.
• The army has been called in to work alongside the emergency services in Salzburg and the Tyrol region to clear landslides and make the roads passable.
• Parts of the Pingzau region have been declared a Disaster Area.

Germany

• Water levels in Passau are the deepest since those recorded in 1501.
• Evacuations have taken place in Saxony while Bavaria is forecast more heavy rain.
• In Germany, the army said it had sent 1,760 soldiers to southern and eastern areas to help local authorities reinforce flood defences.
• A large area of Eilenburg north-east of Leipzig was evacuated, reports said, with 7,000 people being taken to emergency shelters.
• An emergency taskforce has been set up by the federal government, and Chancellor Angela Merkel plans to visit affected areas on Tuesday.

Czech Republic

• Seven people have died and Prague is on high alert. Troops have been called in to erect flood defences

 

Hungary

• The head of Hungary's National Disaster Authority, Gyorgy Bakondi, said 400 people were working on flood defences in the capital, Budapest, where he said the level of the Danube might reach or even exceed the height seen in 2002.

 

Find out More ...

• BBC News
• The Guardian
•