PHOTOS: Images from water-ravaged Czechia as first flood victim reported

Fierce winds and rain, being called Storm Boris, battered Central and Eastern Europe through the weekend, leading to mass evacuations and widespread destruction of homes and businesses.

In the Czech Republic, over 200 hundred areas are still on flood alert, with the first casualty reported Monday morning: one person has been confirmed dead in the Krasovka River in north Moravia. Police have reported seven people missing due to the floods, including a senior citizen and individuals who fell into rivers and streams, and three people whose car was swept into churning waters in Lipová.

Among the worst-hit cities is the town of Krnov in Moravia, where an estimated 70 to 80 percent of the town is underwater; the mayor reports that the situation is much worse now than in the 1997 disastrous flood. World media outlets have spotlighted the disaster, with many official sources attributing the extreme rainfall to climate change.

Rainfall continues, mainly affecting the Chrudimka, Opava, and Odra (Oder) rivers, though water levels are decreasing. Several thousand people have been evacuated, mostly in towns across the country’s eastern half. Around 200,000 were left without power on Sunday morning. The government will hold an emergency meeting on Monday at 6 p.m. to discuss aid for affected regions.

Photos from rescuers, citizens, and officials show the extent of the damage and rescue efforts: