Floods in several countries after heavy rains – at least five dead

The storm is called Boris and in Germany it is called Anette. It formed over the northern Mediterranean and caused heavy rainfall.

Some areas in the Czech Republic and Poland could receive up to 400 mm of rain in the coming days. The amount of rain, which is expected to fall in a few days, is equivalent to almost half of the amount of rain that Sweden receives on average in a whole year. The Czech Republic has lost at least four people, authorities said.

– Heavy rain could mean danger to life and property, says Nils Holmqvist, meteorologist at SVT.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Sunday that one person had drowned and urged people living in the most vulnerable areas to evacuate before the weather worsens. Dozens of rivers have exceeded the alert level. The worst is Biała Głuchołaska, where the water level has risen to two metres above the warning level and there is heavy flooding.

In Romania, at least four people have died as a result of the storm, according to local authorities. The eastern regions are mainly affected and more people have been evacuated from their homes.

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More than 60 thousand families without electricity

Over the weekend, the storm's center of gravity was over the Czech Republic and Austria with heavy and prolonged rainfall.

Austrian rescue authorities have declared 12 municipalities disaster areas after heavy rains continued. In the Waldviertel area, about 12 miles northwest of Vienna, flooding is expected to reach levels seen only once in a century.

More than 60,000 Czech households were left without power, according to Czech CTK. It has been raining there since Thursday, and the highest weather warning has been issued for the entire country except western Bohemia.

– We are preparing for the worst-case scenario, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Saturday.

In the Alps, fresh snow could reach two metres on Sunday as a result of the storm.

“Really fighting against the clock”

Germany, Slovakia and Hungary are also at risk of severe flooding as the storm advances. According to the German news agency (dpa), the water level of the Elbe River risks rising to four metres by the end of the week.

“We are really fighting against the clock here,” Michael Klahr, spokesman for the Dresden rescue service, said at a press conference.