Lakes and rivers burst their banks across Central Europe

Rescue and clean-up operations continue across Europe for thousands of civilians affected by devastating floods. Switzerland, Southern Germany and Austria were badly hit but South-East Europe, including Romania and Bulgaria, has seen even greater devastation and loss of life. Slovenia has also had its share of problems with severe damage in several towns in central and eastern districts and Croatia has declared a state of emergency along the Mura River, on its border with Slovenia.

Extensive storms hitting most of eastern Slovenia last weekend have left the region around the Mura river and some parts of central Slovenia in a precarious position, the National Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief reported. The Pomurje region in the northeast was worst hit, with its river Mura reaching 50- or even 100-year high levels regarding its height and flow. According to the report families were evacuated as well as several flooded basements and roads in many towns along the river Mura. In other parts of Slovenia, several hops fields were damaged, mudslides blocked some roads and fire-fighters had to pump surface water out of several basements.

Slovenia's government is expected to earmark a total of EUR 334.000 for services dealing with the consequences of flash flooding that ravaged through the eastern part of the country. Visiting the affected areas to inspect the damage, Defence Minister Karl Erjavec explained that the funds would be allocated exclusively to cover the costs of fire brigades and other maintenance services working to repair the damage. The inhabitants of the affected areas are devastated:

"The worst part is to see the destruction. The roads are completely destroyed, we are unable to go anywhere and we hope that our mayor will help us as he has promised."

However, first estimates show that the damage in the Posavje region and the town of Celje alone has exceeded 23 million Euros and it will increase due to landslides, which are still destroying houses and roads. Another victim of the floods is Jernej Tertinek:

"It is horrible, the landslide has come down on both sides of our house, the road is completely destroyed and it is really saddening that not one person of the municipality has visited us to see the damage."

According to the Minister for the Environment and Spatial Planning Janez Podobnik, individuals can expect to get state funds in autumn. The Slovenian Red Cross has meanwhile said it has allocated 21.000 Euros as relief to the devastated areas. The money will come from the Solidarity Fund, to which all citizens contribute through the purchase of special stamps and train tickets.

Regardless of what may be the cause of disastrous flash floods, people in the affected areas would first of all like to know how to alleviate the consequences, as the country was hit hard by heavy rains over the past few days. But this question remains open.