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Storm - UK and Germany
Tornado - USA
Flood - Europe
Flood - France
Typhoon - Korea
Hurricane - USA
Storm - Europe
Other events
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Catastrophe Report 2
January 1, 2002 - March 1, 2003
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Flood - Europe
| Territory: |
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Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Austria (also
Hungary, Romania and Russia) |
| Region: |
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Areas adjacent to the Elbe (Germany),
Inn and Salzach (Austria), Moldau (Czech Republic), and Danube
(Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary) rivers |
| Date: |
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August 6 – 20 |
| Event: |
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Flood |
| Impact: |
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Over 320,000 people were evacuated in Germany
and the Czech Republic alone. In Germany, Dresden bore the brunt
of the flooding but severe damage to buildings and infrastructure
occurred all along the Elbe as far as Hamburg. The Czech capital,
Prague, was also severely affected, with many historic buildings
badly damaged and the underground system inundated. Tens of
thousands of homes were affected in Upper and Lower Austria,
Salzburg, the Tyrol, and along the Danube in Slovakia. Transportation
was seriously disrupted for months and extensive power outages
resulted from damaged electrical installations. Total economic
losses are estimated at 18.5 billion US$, with insured losses
likely to stand at 3 billion US$, by far the greatest loss of
2002. |
| Summary: |
|
Flooding was triggered by meteorological conditions
similar to those that resulted in the major central and eastern
European floods of 1997. A low pressure system moved northwards
from the Mediterranean, causing flash floods in Italy and Austria,
saturating the ground and swelling rivers. A second system followed,
dumping over 40cm of rain over the Elbe and Moldau catchments
in just three days. Widespread flooding started on August 6th,
and continued until the end of the month. Peak discharges on
the Moldau, the Danube and the Elbe exceeded any for over a
century. |
| Data sources: |
|
Partner Re.
http://www.partnerre.com/pages/news-research/news_frmset-research.html
European Space Agency, Earthnet
http://earth.esa.int/ew/floods/northern_europe_02/ |
| Additional sources: |
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EQECAT Central European Floods 2002 report
http://www.absconsulting.com/eqecat%20flood/flood_rept.pdf
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