Attachments
Description of the Event
Date of event
03-08-2023
What happened, where and when?
During 3 and 4 August 2023, severe weather, characterized by heavy rainfall, affected the western, northern, eastern, and central parts of the country, resulting in severe flooding and landslides. Some areas became inaccessible, leading to necessary evacuations of residents. The Slovenian Environment Agency (ARSO) issued a red weather alert, prompting the activation of the national emergency response plan for floods. National authorities confirmed one fatality in connection with the event.
On 5 August, severe weather conditions continued to affect the country. The heaviest precipitation was reported in the foothills of the Julian Alps and along the line from the Idrija region, extending through Gorenjska towards Koroška and the Upper Savinjska region. The Savinja Valley, Gorenjska, and Koroška regions experienced severe impacts, including the sweeping away of a bridge on the main transport road and the closure of many state roads due to flooding. During the day and overnight, the precipitation shifted to the southeast of Slovenia towards Kočevje, Kolpa, and Bela Krajina region, where highest risk levels were declared.
On 6 August, severe weather conditions persisted in Slovenia, with rivers continuing to overflow across the country. The Sava River experienced heavy flooding, while the upper reaches of the Drava River stabilised, and the lower reaches were moderated. The Mura River in Gornja Radgona was stabilised but there were reports of an embankment breach near the settlement of Krapje Veržej. The Krka River overflowed in some areas, with problematic zones identified around the confluence of the Sava and Krka rivers near Krška Vas. The water level of the Drava River slowly receded, and its flow, including from the Austrian side, remained under control. A similar pattern was also observed for the Mura River.
On 7 August, the situation in Slovenia improved slightly, however the situation remained critical as some rivers continued to overflow across the country. The heavy rainfall caused widespread damage, leading to the collapse of at least seven main and regional bridges, with significant impacts on roads and energy infrastructure. Additionally, numerous local bridges were reported as damaged.
As of 8 August, access to remote areas and locations affected by landslides remained challenging.
Considering the scale of the affected areas, the number of people impacted, lives lost, and the severity of the impact on housing, livelihoods, and infrastructure, this disaster stands as the largest in the history of Slovenia.
Following the summer floods in August, heavy rain from 27 October to 5 November struck Slovenia once again. This time, the Tolmin region in the northwest part of Slovenia, SRC local branch RKS-OZ Tolmin was most severely affected. The most severely affected areas include Baška grapa, Idrija pri Bači, and Klavže in the northwest part of Slovenia. A total of more than 300 liters per square meter of rainfall was recorded in this affected region. While autumn typically experiences higher rainfall, it is uncommon for such a substantial amount to fall in such a brief period. Compounding the situation, the soil remained saturated from the intense rains in August. This combination of factors resulted in numerous landslides and elevated water levels, leading to significant damage to both infrastructure and houses in the region.