EU chief visits flood-stricken region and pledges billions in swift aid

Ursula Von der Leyen paid a visit to a flood-damaged region in southeastern Poland.

A damaged house after recent floods in the Czech Republic

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday pledged billions of euros for flood recovery for Central European countries that suffered enormous damage to infrastructure and housing during the current flooding that has claimed 24 lives in the region.

Ms Von der Leyen paid a visit to a flood-damaged region in southeastern Poland and met the government heads of the affected countries — Poland, Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

She said funds will be quickly available for repair from the EU’s solidarity fund.

Donald Tusk, Ursula Von der Leyen and Karl Nehammer in a meeting — Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk, centre, attends a meeting with European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, left, and Austria’s Chancellor Karl Nehammer, right, in Wroclaw, Poland, on Thursday (Krzysztof Zatycki/AP)

But saying it would not be enough in the face of enormous destruction, she also pledged 10 billion euros (£8.41 billion) from what is called the cohesion fund for most urgent repairs.

She said no contribution from the individual countries would be required for the money to be released and stressed that in the crisis situation swift action was required.

“Here we say it’s 100% European money, no co-financing,” Ms von der Leyen told a news briefing. “These are extraordinary times, and extraordinary times need extraordinary measures.”

A massive flood wave has been moving across Central Europe and threatening new areas.

Heavy rains also caused flooding and evacuation of some 1,000 people in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. In Central Europe, the receding waters revealed the scale of the destruction caused by exceptionally heavy rains that began a week ago.

European Commmission President Ursula von der Leyen talks to Jakub Mazur, First Deputy Mayor of Wroclaw, next to the river Bystrzyca near Woclaw, Poland (Christoph Soeder/DPA via AP)

Czech interior minister Vit Rakusan said one more person was reported killed on Thursday in the country’s hard-hit northeast, bringing the death toll there to five. There were also seven deaths each in Poland and Romania, and five in Austria — with the overall death toll in the affected countries now at 24.

Italy’s vice minister for transport and infrastructure, Galeazzo Bignami, said at a news conference on Thursday that two people were reported missing in Bagnocavallo, in the Ravenna province.

At least 800 residents in Ravenna and almost 200 in Bologna province spent the night in shelters, schools and sports centres as local rivers overflowed.

Trains were suspended and schools closed while residents have been advised to avoid travel and work from home where possible.