The Danube river has reached a ten-year high in Budapest after deadly Storm Boris wreaked havoc across Europe, leading to devastating floods in central and eastern Europe. The swollen waters of the Danube reached the steps of parliament in Budapest, prompting Hungarian emergency workers to fortify settlements with sandbags.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who cancelled his international travels to inspect flood protection efforts, emphasized the need to control the flood and ensure dykes hold against the rising waters. North of Budapest, houses near the Danube were flooded, forcing residents to navigate in canoes in Szentendre town.
So far, 24 people have lost their lives in Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Romania due to the floods, which have damaged thousands of buildings and infrastructure in the affected countries. The European Commission has pledged €10bn in funds to aid member nations in recovery.
Climate experts attribute the increase in extreme weather events like floods to human-induced climate change, highlighting the urgency of addressing greenhouse gas emissions.