Slovenia's battle against debris and mud
Ruined roads, massive landslides, raging rivers: Severe weather has caused heavy flooding and significant damage in Slovenia, Croatia, and Austria. Clean-up operations are now underway.
When concrete crumbles
This bridge in Stranje in the south of Slovenia ultimately could not withstand the deluge and collapsed on Sunday. As a result of destroyed infrastructure, many areas are cut off from the outside world, and carrying out evacuations in secluded regions is very difficult. In Slovenia, at least six people have died in the floods.
Formerly, a home
In the village of Prevalje in the north of Slovenia, a house is swept away by the floods. In the meantime, water levels in Slovenia's rivers have slightly dropped after heavy storms. Some areas, however, were evacuated as a precaution, due to the risk of landslides. Clean-up operations are now underway.
Battling the mud ...
... with excavator and wheelbarrow: In the battle against huge quantities of mud, every available piece of equipment and resource is put to use. Severe weather and flooding have drowned large parts of Slovenia in mud, debris and dirt, all of which must now be laboriously removed.
Sava river secured with sandbags
Heavy rainfalls have led to rising water levels in Croatia as well. In some parts of the country, the Sava river burst its banks. Piling up sandbags, Croatia's national emergency services created flood barriers as the one near Zagreb seen here.
Lucky pets
Croatian emergency helpers take care of animals as well. These two dogs from the village of Drenje Brodovecko, near Zagreb, are evacuated from the flood area by rescue workers.
Water, water everywhere
Flooded streets and basements, landslides and closed roads are all part of the situation in Austria's Deutschlandsberg district. A state of emergency was declared there due to heavy rainfall. In addition, flood waters have caused groundwater levels to rise significantly. Basements have to be pumped out repeatedly because water pressure is also coming from below, according to the fire department.
Fleeing the floods
For these two tourists, the holiday is definitively over. Carrying their baggage, they're wading through the floods in Leibnitz, Austria, heading for a safe place. Austria has seen at least one person die in the floods. Authorities say water levels in the country's rivers have now largely settled. Due to risen groundwater, however, there'a risk of landslides in many areas.
Suddenly, a dead end
Debris blocks the Seeberg road, which connects the Austrian state of Carinthia with the Slovenian region of Upper Carniola. Due to risk of landslides, debris and uprooted trees the Seeberg Saddle, a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1,218 meters (3,996 feet), will be closed until further notice.
Defying the deluge
These two baskets in a Zagreb basketball court have not been submerged by the floods. With water levels dropping, restoration work is now a priority. Slovenia has asked the EU's emergency services to provide heavy machinery and 20 prefabricated temporary bridges of up to 40 meters. 5 large transport helicopters, 200 troops and another 20 prefabricated temporary bridges were requested from NATO.