Poland, Slovakia and Hungary hit by fresh floods

Thousands of people were evacuated from towns and villages in Poland, Slovakia and Hungary on Saturday as floodwaters continued to rise. In southern Poland, the Vistula River breached an embankment, putting several villages at risk. The situation in the south of the country was described as "dangerous" by Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Last month, at least 22 people died as the country experienced its worst floods in decades. Poland, Slovakia and Hungary hit by fresh floods In the southern town of Zakopane, the body of a 34-year old man was found after he drowned in a stream, while the body of an 87-year-old was recovered from a ditch. One man died of heart failure during an evacuation of the town of Muszyna, while two people were reported missing. Many other parts of the country are also bracing for floods after rainstorms in recent days. The Vistula River overflowed and opened up a 20-meter wide hole in flood defenses protecting the village of Slupiec. Amphibious army vessels were used to help rescue some 3,000 people as well as animals from the endangered area. Further north, in the region where some 20 villages were flooded last month, water was also reported to be breaching flood defenses. The flooding, caused by heavy rainfall, has also threatened parts of Slovakia. Rising waters forced the evacuation of 1,500 people in Slovakia's second largest city of Kosice overnight amid fears the swollen Hornad River would overflow and flood surrounding areas. Prime Minister Robert Fico held a government meeting on Saturday to discuss the floods, which he said were the worst in a century. "We are lucky that Slovakia does not have to cope with a larger number of flood victims," he told reporters. Bridges and railway lines in the country have been severely damaged, Fico said, and more than 3,000 soldiers had been drafted into the affected areas to support civilian emergency services. Interior Minister Robert Kalinak said many communities were seeing floodwaters for the first time in living memory. In Hungary, more than 2,300 people had to be taken to safety, according to the country's Interior Ministry. The communities of Borsod and Szabolcs in the northeast of the country were hit particularly hard. In the eastern German state of Brandenburg, experts on Saturday were predicting high water levels on the Oder River for several days to come.

Poland, Slovakia and Hungary hit by fresh floods

In the southern town of Zakopane, the body of a 34-year old man was found after he drowned in a stream, while the body of an 87-year-old was recovered from a ditch.

One man died of heart failure during an evacuation of the town of Muszyna, while two people were reported missing. Many other parts of the country are also bracing for floods after rainstorms in recent days.

The Vistula River overflowed and opened up a 20-meter wide hole in flood defenses protecting the village of Slupiec. Amphibious army vessels were used to help rescue some 3,000 people as well as animals from the endangered area.

Further north, in the region where some 20 villages were flooded last month, water was also reported to be breaching flood defenses.

The flooding, caused by heavy rainfall, has also threatened parts of Slovakia. Rising waters forced the evacuation of 1,500 people in Slovakia's second largest city of Kosice overnight amid fears the swollen Hornad River would overflow and flood surrounding areas.

Prime Minister Robert Fico held a government meeting on Saturday to discuss the floods, which he said were the worst in a century.

"We are lucky that Slovakia does not have to cope with a larger number of flood victims," he told reporters.

Bridges and railway lines in the country have been severely damaged, Fico said, and more than 3,000 soldiers had been drafted into the affected areas to support civilian emergency services.

Interior Minister Robert Kalinak said many communities were seeing floodwaters for the first time in living memory.

In Hungary, more than 2,300 people had to be taken to safety, according to the country's Interior Ministry. The communities of Borsod and Szabolcs in the northeast of the country were hit particularly hard.

In the eastern German state of Brandenburg, experts on Saturday were predicting high water levels on the Oder River for several days to come.