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What happened, where and when?
The 2024 Central European floods in the Czech Republic were triggered by Storm Boris, which brought record-breaking rainfall beginning on 13 September 2024. Over 200 rivers breached their banks, with Northern Moravia—especially the regions of Jeseník, Opava, and Ostrava—suffering the most severe impacts.
In Jeseník, rainfall exceeded 500 mm (20 inches), surpassing historical flood records and overwhelming local infrastructure. The resulting floods caused extensive damage to transportation networks, including roads, railways, and bridges. Ostrava faced major service disruptions, with train operations suspended and widespread infrastructure failures reported. Thousands of homes and key public utilities were damaged or destroyed, prompting large-scale evacuations and leaving approximately 250,000 people without electricity.
From the earliest stages of the emergency, the Czech Red Cross (CRC) has played a central role in supporting affected populations. CRC teams assisted with evacuations and provided immediate relief at evacuation centers. In addition to distributing essential items such as food, safe drinking water, and hygiene supplies, CRC staff and volunteers conducted rapid assessments to identify urgent needs, damage levels, and requirements for psychosocial support.
Nine CRC regional branches were fully mobilized to support the response. An Emergency Operations Centre was activated at CRC headquarters, while local coordination posts were established in the hardest-hit areas to ensure an efficient and timely response.