The Danube reached a 10-year high in heavily fortified Budapest on Saturday, with the water level rising to the steps of parliament, following the deadly Storm Boris that struck Europe. Torrential rain and strong winds have caused widespread flooding in central and eastern Europe since last week, resulting in 24 fatalities and extensive damage to towns and villages.
As the swollen Danube waters moved south, Hungarian emergency workers transported sandbags to reinforce settlements, including Budapest, where the river flooded the embankment up to the steps of parliament. The water level approached the record set in 2013 before beginning to recede on Saturday.
"The last time it was this high, I was only 10 or 11," said Beata Hargitai, a 22-year-old student, to AFP in downtown Budapest near the flooded area. "Navigating the capital is a bit more challenging but manageable. I'm glad to see that things are progressing well, in an orderly manner," she added.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who canceled all his international trips this week and inspected Budapest's flood protection efforts on Saturday, stated that the focus was "on controlling the flood" with some "tough days" ahead to ensure the dykes hold. Just north of Budapest, water flooded the lower levels of houses near the Danube, with residents in Szentendre town navigating around on canoes.
"The lower parts of our village are underwater," said Vilmos Nemet, a 50-year-old cook who lives uphill in nearby Tahitotfalu village, about 25 km north of Budapest. So far, 24 people have died in Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Romania as floodwaters destroyed houses and fields, and severely damaged road and rail infrastructure.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced 10 billion euros ($11 billion) in funds for EU member nations affected by the devastation. Experts attribute the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as torrential rain and floods, to climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions from human activities.
