Slovenia and Austria deployed emergency teams on Sunday amid warnings of landslides and other accidents caused by heavy rains and floods since Friday.
The country’s meteorological department highlighted that the volume of rain was similar to what’s usually seen over a month, but it happened in under 24 hours.
Climate change is believed to be a significant contributor to these increasingly severe weather patterns. This summer, parts of Europe experienced unprecedented high temperatures and wildfires.
Infrastructure like roads and power networks suffered severe damage during the floods. Numerous houses and structures were affected, resulting in thousands being evacuated. Many of these evacuations required air or water rescues. In a bid to support rescue and relief operations, the Slovenian military was deployed, particularly in northern regions that were isolated due to the floods.
On Saturday, the national news agency, STA, informed that several primary roads, including the country’s main highway, remained obstructed due to the floodwaters. Many bridges have also fallen, leading officials to advise residents to stay put until a complete damage assessment is done.
Following three reported weather-linked fatalities on Friday, local media shared news of another death in Ljubljana, the capital, on Saturday. The police have yet to confirm this.
Austria, which shares a border with Slovenia, also experienced flash floods on Saturday, displacing around 80 people in the southern region of Carinthia.
