In September 2024, Storm Boris brought heavy rain to Europe, resulting in EUR 2.2 billion in insured losses across Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania.
Of these regions, Austria, the Czech Republic and Poland were the most severely affected. However, flood mitigation and enhanced warning systems implemented in the Czech Republic and Poland due to previous flooding in 1997 and 2002 proved effective in reducing losses and the number of casualties.
While natural climate variability impacts frequency and severity, a warming climate is also likely to have contributed to the intensity of rainfall. This highlights the importance of quantifying flood risk to inform appropriate decision-making.