Slovenia has been hit by severe weather that caused flash floods and landslides in several parts of the country. The heavy rains, which started on Friday, August 4, 2023, have blocked roads and bridges, flooded buildings, and forced evacuations.
According to Slovenia’s environmental agency, ARSO, a month’s amount of rain fell within 24 hours in northern, north-western, and central parts of the country. The official STA news agency reported evacuations in several regions, including campsites.
The capital Ljubljana was also affected by the floods, which interrupted a theatre show, surged inside homes, hospitals, and other buildings, and prompted hundreds of interventions by emergency crews. Firefighters said the situation overnight was unprecedented because huge quantities of rain fell within a short period of time.
The floods also damaged some cultural heritage sites, such as the medieval castle of Bled and the Roman town of Ptuj. The authorities have urged people to stay away from rivers and streams and to follow the instructions of the civil protection service.
The weather forecast for the next few days is uncertain, but some improvement is expected on Saturday. However, ARSO warned that the risk of landslides remains high due to the saturated soil.