A dam in the southwestern part of Poland overflowed late last night after heavy rains in the country, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
Authorities said the dam in Mendzisdroje had overflowed despite efforts to drain the water and prevent the disaster. The regional water management office in Wrocław described the situation as critical, which required evacuation from villages at a lower altitude.
The dam was built at the beginning of the 20th century in the Klodzko Valley on the border of Poland with the Czech Republic and is 29 meters high. The dam's flood control reservoir can hold almost one million cubic meters of water.
Since Friday morning, more rain has fallen in southwestern Poland than during the so-called millennium flood in 1997
Meanwhile, in Austria, 42 municipalities have been declared disaster zones due to heavy rains and floods. The situation is particularly tense along the rivers Kamp and Krems, which flow into the Danube.
Stefan Pernkopf, deputy head of the province of Lower Austria, said that the protective structures in the region, which were strengthened after severe flooding in 2002, were designed to withstand floods that occur statistically once every 100 years.
However, as heavy rains are expected to continue, forecasters warn that the situation could worsen. According to them, the Danube could reach levels that are observed once every 30 years in the Austrian regions of Weinwirtel and Mostwirtel.
The Czech Republic is also struggling to cope with severe flooding caused by heavy rains.