At least three people have lost their lives and thousands have evacuated their homes after severe storms and floods in Slovenia.
According to Slovenia’s environmental agency ARSO, northern and central parts of the country recorded more than 200 mm of rain within 12 hours from 03 to 04 August 2023. This is more than these areas would normally see during the whole of August, ARSO said.
The rain caused multiple rivers to break their banks, including the Savinja River in Celje where around 4,000 people evacuated their homes.
The Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief recorded over 1,000 weather-related incidents within 12 hours across the country. Police, firefighters and teams from the military and civil protection rescued people from flooded areas in the Upper Carniola and Carinthia Regions.
Slovenia’s Directorate for Infrastructure said several sections of roads are closed and some bridges have been destroyed in areas of Celje, Nova Gorica, Kranj, Ljubljana, Maribor and Murska Sobota. Storm damage interrupted power supply to around 16,000 households.
Slovenia police reported on person died in a flooded area in the town of Kamnik. The cause of death is yet to be confirmed. Police also reported two Dutch citizens were missing and later found dead near the mountain resort town of Bled. It is thought the two were struck by lightning whist hiking in the mountains.
