Europe: Extreme weather warnings in Germany, Poland, Austria – DW – 09/13/2024
Large parts of central Europe are bracing for potential flooding this weekend with heavy rainfall expected across parts of Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria.
Up to 400 mm of rain is expected to fall on the highlands on the Polish-Czech border within just 72 hours, according to local meteorological stations, with consequences for surrounding regions and nearby towns and cities.
In Poland, authorities have issued their highest weather warning in the southern voivodeships — or regions — of Lower Silesia, Opole and Silesia, while the mayor of the city of Wroclaw has convened a crisis committee. In 1997, a third of Wroclaw was flooded when the River Oder burst its banks.
"There is a realistic risk of local inundations from Friday to Sunday," said the Polish weather service.
Czech Republic expecting heaviest rain in over 20 years
In the neighboring Czech Republic, forecasters have warned of heavy rain and winds reaching up to 100 kilometers (60 miles) per hour in the eastern region of Moravia, where towns and cities have been installing anti-flood barriers and preparing sandbags to battle the elements.