Europe faces extreme floods as new weather norm emerges
- Massive floods in Europe have affected around two million people, resulting in at least 16 deaths in several countries.
- European Commission emergency management commissioner Janez Lenarčič stated that extreme weather is now the norm and called for unprecedented cooperation among EU member states.
- He emphasized the need for enhanced resilience and joint management to effectively address the increasing frequency of such disasters.
Recent extreme weather events in Europe have led to massive floods affecting around two million people, with at least 16 fatalities reported in Austria, the Czech Republic, and Poland. These floods were caused by record-breaking rainfall, which delivered three to four times the average monthly precipitation in just one day. Concurrently, Portugal is battling devastating wildfires that have claimed at least seven lives and destroyed thousands of hectares of forest. European Commission emergency management commissioner Janez Lenarčič emphasized that such extreme weather conditions are becoming the new norm rather than isolated incidents. He highlighted the urgent need for unprecedented cooperation among EU member states to prepare for and respond to these disasters effectively. Lenarčič pointed out that the frequency of these extreme events, once considered rare, is now occurring almost annually, indicating a significant shift in climate patterns. The commissioner also noted that the EU has existing mechanisms, such as the Copernicus flood early warning system, which has issued numerous warnings in recent days. However, he stressed the importance of developing new tools and enhancing cross-border resilience and joint watercourse management to combat these challenges. Lenarčič warned that the cost of inaction in the face of climate change is far greater than investing in resilience measures. He called for a united approach among countries to tackle the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters, underscoring that no nation can effectively manage these crises alone.