Severe overnight storms cause hundreds of emergency callouts across Czechia

Nearly 500 weather-related incidents were reported across Czechia overnight as severe thunderstorms swept from the southwest to the northeast of the country. Firefighters were called out most often to clear fallen trees and pump water from flooded buildings, with the hardest-hit regions being Central Bohemia, South Bohemia, and Hradec Králové.

Firefighters dealt with fallen trees and branches blocking roads and threatening homes, flooding in low-lying buildings, and loose roof panels and billboards blown by strong winds.

The storms also disrupted rail traffic. Railway emergency crews were called out to 12 sites overnight, mainly to remove trees from the tracks. Around midnight, more than 70,000 households were without electricity. Storm warnings remain in place on Thursday for Moravia and Silesia.