Slovakia – Hundreds Evacuated After Floods in Tatra Mountains

Hundreds of people were evacuated between 18 and 19 July, 2018, after flooding hit parts of the Tatra Mountain region in northern Slovakia following two days of heavy rain. Some areas recorded more than 160 mm of rain in 48 hours.

Slovakia’s Fire and Rescue Corp (Prezídium Hasičského a záchranného zboru – HaZZ) said that firefighters helped evacuate 274 people from flooded homes in the village of Stará Lesná, Kežmarok District in the Prešov Region in north-central Slovakia. The village was flooded after the Studený Potok stream overflowed. Evacuees were accommodated in a local municipality building and school. Firefighters also erected temporary flood defences in the village.

Elsewhere in Prešov Region, raging flood water damaged a bridge in Tatranská Javorina, a village in Poprad District. Flooding was also reported in the village and firefighters have been deployed to the area. HaZZ said that firefighters were also called to a flood situation in Mlynky, a village and municipality in the Spišská Nová Ves District in the Košice Region of central-eastern Slovakia. As of 19 July, HaZZ reported that the situation in all areas was stabilising.

The Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMÚ) said that Tatranská Javorina recorded 163.2mm of rain in 48 hours to 19 July. Several other areas have recorded rainfall over 100 mm in 48 hours, including Skalnaté Pleso (123.9 mm), Oravská Polhora (113.7 mm), Oravice (108.5 mm), Reľov (104.6 mm) and Osturňa (103.3 mm).

As of 20 July, SHMÚ had in place level 1 flood warnings for the Váh River at Liptovský Mikuláš, and the Poprad River in Stará Ľubovňa district.

Social Media

Tatry zasiahla povodeň, viaceré chodníky uzavreli https://t.co/04ndovYypK pic.twitter.com/krUzd5oiBw

— Denník SME (@denniksme) July 19, 2018

Po Słowackiej stronie Tatr sytuacja bardzo zła. Szczególnie w okolicach m. Stará Lesná – z jednego z hoteli trzeba było ewakuować ludzi, a wielu lokalnych mieszkańców musiało opuścić swoje domy. pic.twitter.com/RJIhkc4tA1

— dominobb (@dominobb) July 19, 2018

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