(Updated) Europe – Evacuations, Rescues and Travel Disruption After Flash Floods

by in Europe, News

Report updated 13 June 2019 to include further information on flooding in Italy

Update: 13 June 2019

Further heavy rain caused flooding in areas around Lake Como in northern Italy on 12 June, 2019.

Italian Fire Service Vigili del Fuoco carried out 60 interventions in the Province of Lecco, Lombardy Region, on 12 June due to the severe weather. Homes, businesses and a campsite were evacuated in Dervio, Premana and Primaluna due to flooding from the Varrone and Pioverna rivers. Vigili del Fuoco said that, as of 13 June, the situation was improving.

Original Report: 12 June 2019

Heavy rain and severe weather in Europe since 09 June 2019 has caused flash floods in parts of the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Greece and Poland. Severe hailstorms have also been reported in Germany, Italy, Poland, Croatia and Slovenia.

United Kingdom

Heavy rain caused widespread disruption in parts of England from 09 June. The worst hit areas were parts of southeastern England and Lincolnshire in north eastern England.

The UK’s Met Office said that some areas of England recorded “well over a month’s worth of rain in a day!”. The Environment Agency confirmed that some sites in Kent recorded around 100mm of rain in the 24 hours up to 11 June. The average rainfall for the month of June in the UK is 73.4mm.

Fire and Rescue Service in Kent rescued a woman trapped in her flooded home in West Kingsdown, near Sevenoaks. Railway lines were in areas near London and in Kent were flooded. Parts of the M25 motorway (London’s ring road) were closed for almost eight hours earlier after two sinkholes were discovered.

In Lincolnshire, a hospital was flooded in Boston and the River Waring broke its banks in Horncastle. As of 12 June there were 5 flood warnings still in place, including 3 in Lincolnshire and 2 in Lancashire, north western England.

Yellow warnings for rain are still in place for central England, north Wales, north east England and eastern Scotland. Further flooding and transport disruption, 20-40mm widely expected, up to 80 in hilly areas and possibly localised rainfall of 100mm.

Germany

Media in Germany reported that thunderstorms, strong winds and heavy rain caused damage and flooding in the capital Berlin and parts of the surrounding state of Brandenburg from 11 to 12 June.

Some of the city’s major roads were flooded, including the A100 through the city and areas in the eastern district of Lichtenberg. Berlin fire department reported 150 incidents of storm damage in the city during the early hours of 12 June.

Surface flooding also affected parts of nearby city of Potsdam, capital of the state of Brandenburg, where the fire department responded to 170 incidents during the night 11 to 12 June.

https://twitter.com/FwPotsdam/status/1138633440910303232

Italy

Dati Meteo Asti reported heavy rain caused flash floods and landslides in parts of northern Italy. As much of 143 mm of rain fell in Varzo in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Piedmont Region 10 to 11 June. A landslide and flash floods damaged homes in Formazza

Poland

Local media in Poland reported flooding and storm damage in northern areas of the country, including Sopot, Gdynia and Gdańsk on 10 June, 2019. The government’s security centre (Rządowego Centrum Bezpieczeństwa – RCB) issued a Red Alert for the area for thunderstorms, hail and strong winds. A Red Alert is also in place for parts of West Pomeranian Voivodeship, including the city of Szczecin.

Greece

Local news outlet Ekathimerini reported heavy rainstorms and hail battered many parts of the mainland on 11 June, with flooding affecting parts of Attica, including Aghia Marina and Koropi.