Residents across parts of Poland and the Czech Republic hurried to evacuate on Monday, while others in central Europe began cleaning up after devastating floods—the worst seen in over 20 years—left behind significant damage and an increasing death toll. The border regions between Poland and the Czech Republic were hit especially hard over the weekend, with relentless rain and rising water levels causing bridges to collapse, forcing evacuations, and damaging homes and vehicles. At least 17 people have lost their lives in flooding across several countries, from Romania to Poland.

In southern Poland, the mayor of Nysa, a town with over 40,000 residents, issued an urgent call for evacuation after a nearby floodbank was compromised. In the northeastern Czech city of Ostrava, flooding intensified as the Odra river, combined with the Opava river, breached a barrier, flooding industrial areas, including chemical and coking plants, while residents in nearby neighborhoods were also evacuated.

In the Czech town of Litovel, where 70% of the area was submerged in water up to one meter deep, locals spoke of their terror as waters quickly rose over the weekend. One resident, Renata Gaborova, 39, recounted how rapidly the situation escalated: "I was just very, very afraid... I ran away because the water was rising very quickly near the house."

The devastation was described as apocalyptic by many. Poland's government has declared a state of natural disaster in affected areas and has allocated 1 billion zlotys (about $260 million) for relief efforts. Prime Minister Donald Tusk is coordinating with other impacted countries to request financial assistance from the European Union. In Ladek Zdroj, Poland, Szymon Krzysztan, 16, painted a grim picture: "It's a city like in an apocalypse... It's a ghost town." The destruction of every bridge in the town has left the area isolated, with residents feeling completely cut off, according to Jerzy Adamczyk, 70.

In Jesenik, a Czech town on the border, clean-up operations began after waters receded, revealing the aftermath, including damaged cars and debris scattered across the streets. "There were two meters of water that ran through the street... Many, many destroyed cars," said Zdenek Kuzilek, a local resident. The town was left without basic services, as telephones, water, and electricity were all cut off. In Romania, where entire towns were submerged, some residents were left with only the clothes on their backs, according to the mayor of Slobozia Conachi, Emil Dragomir.

Although water levels started to decrease in some areas, cities like Wroclaw in Poland were bracing for incoming floodwaters. Meanwhile, in Romania, seven deaths were reported due to the flooding. An Austrian firefighter died on Sunday, and in Austria’s Lower state, police confirmed two elderly men were found drowned in their homes. Poland and the Czech Republic have also reported multiple fatalities.

As the River Danube rose, Slovakia's capital Bratislava and Hungary's capital Budapest began preparing for potential flooding. Hungary's Interior Minister, Sandor Pinter, emphasized efforts to contain the river and its tributaries, with 12,000 soldiers on standby. In Austria, river and reservoir levels briefly dropped overnight as rain subsided, but authorities are bracing for another wave as heavier rainfall is expected in the coming days.