Budapest Braces For Worst Floods In A Decade

Workers place sandbags in Budapest's Roman Shore neighborhood on September 16 as the city declares a third-level flood alert, its highest level of flood defense.

Exceptionally heavy rainfall has lashed Central Europe, causing deadly flooding in the region. So far 16 deaths have been reported.

Flooding from Storm Boris, a slow-moving low-pressure system, has claimed lives across the region -- seven in Romania, five in Poland, three in the Czech Republic, and one in Austria. The storm has unleashed months' worth of rainfall in just days.

Sandbags line Budapest's Margaret Island in preparation for flooding.

Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony wrote on Facebook that the city would use 1 million sandbags to bolster flood defenses and asked residents to take extra care when near the river.

 

Signs warn residents that access to the Roman Shore neighborhood is restricted due to rising floodwaters.

 

While Hungarians brace for flooding, some residents take to the rising waters for kayaking.

An estimated 1,400 soldiers are assisting with flood defense across Hungary, the defense minister said on September 17, adding that the armed forces are prepared to deploy additional personnel as needed.

Flood defense personnel reinforce barriers on Margaret Island.

In nearby Poland, the mayor of Nysa has called for the evacuation of all 44,000 residents as flooding continues to devastate Central Europe.
 

Sandbags are placed near the Parliament building on September 17.

Dark clouds are seen over the Parliament building as the city braces for the coming deluge.