At least four people have died and thousands of homes have been damaged by flooding in eastern Romania, as surging river levels due to days of torrential rain have put authorities on alert in much of central and eastern Europe. Tens of thousands of households were left without power in Romania and the Czech Republic, with more rainfall expected in the coming days in Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, southern Germany, and parts of Austria. In the Czech Republic, residents of some towns along the Czech-Polish border were evacuated as rivers rose past alert levels, and Prague put preventative anti-flood measures in place. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu visited hard-hit Galati county in Romania, where four people died and thousands of homes were damaged. Similar situations are being seen in other countries such as Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Austria.
In the Czech Republic, northern and northeastern areas faced the most flooding, with 51,000 households losing electricity. The country is preparing for more than a third of average annual rainfall by Sunday, urging residents in affected areas to prepare to evacuate. Preventive measures have been put in place in Prague, including flood barriers along the Vltava river, following catastrophic floods in 2002. Other countries in the region, such as Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Austria, are also bracing for potential flooding with evacuations and other precautionary measures being taken. Authorities are emphasizing the importance of preparedness and mobilization to handle the evolving situation.
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