Extreme Weather Across Europe: Flooding and Landslides

Extreme Weather Across Europe

After a scorching early summer marked by heatwaves and severe flooding in Europe last month, extreme weather conditions persist across the continent. Poland recently witnessed emergency services being mobilized as roads and basements flooded in Zakopane and surrounding areas. Firefighters were called to respond to numerous incidents caused by the flooding.

The Zakopianka route connecting the Tatra Mountains to Krakow became impassable for several hours due to flooding triggered by a cloudburst. Neighboring Austria also felt the impact, with heavy rain and thunderstorms hitting Waldkirchen and Rappolz near the Czech Republic border, following a devastating hailstorm on Sunday.

In Slovenia, meteorologists have issued warnings of continued storms moving in from Italy, with significant damage already reported, including the destruction of roofs and crops in various parts of the country.

Deadly Flooding in Switzerland and Italy

Tragedy struck over the weekend as heavy storms led to extensive flooding and landslides in Switzerland and northern Italy, claiming at least four lives. Three individuals were found deceased following a landslide in the Italian-speaking Swiss canton of Ticino, while a person remains missing in the Lavizzara valley.

Switzerland’s South and West faced relentless heavy rain, resulting in the evacuation of camping sites, collapsed bridges, and flooding of a motorway and railway line in the Valais region. Additional casualties were reported in side valleys south of the Rhone, with a man’s body discovered after being reported missing by his partner.

Italian firefighters conducted around 80 rescue operations over the weekend, saving numerous individuals in the northern Piedmont region. In one notable incident, two adults and a three-month-old infant were rescued from their car near Montanaro, stranded due to rising waters.

The Valle D’Aosta region in Italy also grappled with isolation as several villages were cut off by overflowing streams, storms, and landslides. Scientists have linked these recent extreme weather events, including severe heatwaves, to climate change fueled by human activities.