Slovenia has been hit by severe storms and heavy rainfall after a long period of hot and dry weather. Since Friday night, more than 230 weather-related incidents have been reported, with the northern regions being the most affected. In Kokra, a village in the north, three houses were evacuated due to a landslide caused by heavy rains which also swept away a bridge and made local roads impassable. Firefighters helped move a group of Belgian scouts to a hotel after their camp was washed away by the storm. In the Logar Valley, a landslide blocked a road and hikers needed assistance in descending the mountains. The heaviest rainfall was recorded in the Karavanke mountain range and Posavje region.
This severe weather event comes after Slovenia’s worst national disaster in August 2023 when flash flooding caused widespread devastation across the country. In response, authorities have been working on a major flash flood plan to enhance preparedness for such intense rainfall events, which are often linked to climate change. The Environment Agency meteorologist Jure Cedilnik warned about the increased risk of extreme weather events in the future and the importance of being proactive in protecting against natural disasters. The recent storms serve as a reminder of the vulnerability of communities to the impacts of climate change and the need for adaptation and mitigation measures.
Source
Photo credit www.euronews.com