Just a week ago, before deadly floods swept through central Europe, the Czech Republic looked on track to become the first country in the region since COVID-19 to pull its budget deficit firmly below the 3% of GDP cap set by European Union rules.

At least 23 people have now died in Europe's flood disaster as the Polish city of Wrocław sees the level of the Oder river peak and Austria begins planning for "years" of reconstruction. The water level on the Oder river flowing through Poland's fourth-largest city Wrocław peaked overnight and is expected to stay high for some time,

Central Europe is experiencing the worst floods in at least two decades, with a trail of destruction from Romania to Poland and and the deaths of at least 23 people so far.

A massive flood wave moving across Central Europe threatened new areas after claiming 24 lives, raising concerns among residents and officials and prompting European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen to plan a visit to the region Thursday.

Floods brought on by days of heavy rainfalls have been ravaging several European countries, with thousands of people being evacuated the the death toll rising.

At least 10 people have been killed in some of the worst floods to hit central Europe in decades as Storm Boris sweeps through the region.

Soldiers and volunteers in southwestern Poland have been laying sandbags near swollen rivers around Wroclaw. Days of flooding have wreaked death and destruction across Central Europe.