The European Union will make billions of euros available to help central Europe recover from severe floods, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday, as she pledged support for regions that have been devastated by the deluge.

Heavy rains caused severe flooding in Central Europe, affecting countries like Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Romania.

A massive floodwave moving across Central Europe is threatening new areas and raising concerns among residents and leaders.

Just a week ago, before deadly floods swept through central Europe, the Czech Republic looked on track to become the first country in the region since COVID-19 to pull its budget deficit firmly below the 3% of GDP cap set by European Union rules.

Central Europe began counting the cost of deadly and devastating floods caused by Storm Boris, as the European Union pledged billions of euro in aid to affected countries and northern Italy became the latest area to be inundated by torrential rain.

At least 10 people have been killed in some of the worst floods to hit central Europe in decades as Storm Boris sweeps through the region.

Central Europe is experiencing the worst floods in at least two decades, with a trail of destruction from Romania to Poland and and the deaths of at least 23 people so far.

European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday pledged billions of euros in aid for Central European countries that suffered enormous damage to infrastructure and housing during the massive flooding that has so far claimed 24 lives in the region.