Natural disasters do not stop at national borders. Early warning, better preparedness and coordinated action on a European level are necessary to cope with the impact of severe weather on infrastructure and people.
In summer 2015, a heatwave swept over large parts of southern and central Europe causing severe drought and heightening the risk of forest fires. In May and June 2016, thunderstorms and heavy rainfall occurred over wide stretches of Europe – from France and Germany to Poland and Hungary.
Extreme weather events know no boundaries. This is why “early warning systems [for extreme weather] using one common language are particularly helpful,” says Michael Staudinger, head of the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG) in Vienna, Austria.
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