Chaos in Poland as entire city ordered to evacuate with floods in central Europe

The mayor of Nysa, Poland, has urged all 44,000 residents to evacuate as severe floods have been battering central Europe over the past few days.

Mayor Kolbiarz wrote: “Please evacuate your belongings, yourselves, your loved ones. It is worth getting to the top floor of the building immediately, because the wave may be several metres high. This means that the whole town will be flooded.”

Fears are mounting that an embankment near a lake could breach, potentially releasing a massive wave into the town.

The death toll from the floods across the continent, which were triggered by Storm Boris over the weekend, has risen to at least 16, with casualties reported in Poland, Romania, Austria, and the Czech Republic.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has pledged £197million in aid for flood victims and announced plans to seek EU relief funds.

Thousands have already been evacuated, including hospital staff and patients in Nysa, as roads and train services have been severely disrupted.

Meanwhile, the town of Paczków is also under evacuation orders due to rising water levels in a nearby reservoir. While some areas, such as Klodzko, are seeing water levels recede, the damage remains extensive.

The floods have been sparked by Storm Boris, and the record rainfall experienced in central Europe has been triggered by climate change among other factors.

Experts are calling it a ‘perfect storm’ as very cold air from the Arctic has joined forces with warm air from the Mediterranean, causing widespread disruption.

Other areas affected in Europe include Hungary, as alerts are in order along the banks of the Danube which cuts through Budapest. Certain tram lines and train routes are also set to be suspended.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban posted on X, saying he has postponed all international obligations “due to the extreme weather conditions and the ongoing floods in Hungary”.

Highest rainfall totals have been recorded in the Czech Republic. Locals have been warned not to drink water from their taps due to fears of contamination.

Danube’s water levels in Slovakia reportedly exceeded 9m, while eastern Romania and Austria also faced significant damage.

More rain is expected today in Austria, the Czech Republic as well as south-east Germany, and the storm is expected to move further south into Italy.