Flood-hit regions in Central Europe will get billions in EU aid

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — 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.

Von der Leyen paid a quick visit to a flood-damaged area in southeastern Poland and met with heads of the governments of the affected countries — Poland, Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

She said funds will be made available quickly for infrastructure repair from the EU’s solidarity fund, as well as 10 billion euros ($11 billion) from what is called the cohesion fund — for the most urgent repairs. In a special approach, no co-financing will be required from these countries for the money to be released.

“Here we say it’s 100% European money, no co-financing,” von der Leyen told a news briefing. “These are extraordinary times, and extraordinary times need extraordinary measures. ”

Meanwhile, a massive flood wave threatened new areas and heavy rains also caused flooding and evacuation of some 1,000 people in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. In Central Europe, the receding waters revealed the scale of the destruction caused by exceptionally heavy rains that began a week ago.

Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakušan said one more person was reported killed on Thursday in the country's hard-hit northeast, bringing the death toll there to five. There were also seven deaths each in Poland and Romania, and five in Austria — with the overall death toll now at 24.

Authorities deployed troops to help. In the northeastern Czech Republic, soldiers joined firefighters and other emergency crews to help with the recovery efforts. Army helicopters distributed humanitarian aid while soldiers were building temporary bridges in place of those that were swept away.

Some 400 people remained evacuated from the homes in the regional capital of Ostrava. In the southwest, the level of the Luznice River reached an extreme high but the evacuation of 1,000 people in the town of Veseli nad Luznici was not necessary for the moment, officials said.

Cleanup efforts were underway in Austria, where flooding washed away roads and led to landslides and bridge damage. Firefighters and soldiers pumped water and mud out of houses and disposed of damaged furniture, broadcaster ORF quoted fire department spokesperson Klaus Stebal as saying.

The governor of Lower Austria province, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, said reconstruction was expected to take years, according to the Austria Press Agency.

The Vienna public transport company has had to pump almost 1 million liters (260,000 gallons) of water since last weekend. Ten towns and areas were still inaccessible on Thursday, APA reported.

In Hungary, flood waters continued to rise as authorities closed roads and rail stations. Ferries along the Danube River halted. In the capital, Budapest, water spilled over the city’s lower quays and threatened to reach tram and metro lines. Some transport services were suspended.

Further upriver, in a region known as the Danube Bend, homes and restaurants near the riverbanks were inundated.

Nearly 6,000 professionals, including members of Hungary’s water authority and military, were mobilized, and prison inmates were involved in filling sandbags, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said at a news conference Thursday.

The Danube stood at over 771 centimeters (25 feet), approaching the 891-centimeter (29.2 feet) record set during major flooding in 2013.

In southwestern Poland, the high waters reached the city of Wroclaw and an extended wave was expected to take many hours, even days to pass, exerting pressure on the embankments.

The water level on the Oder River just before Wroclaw was 6.4 meters (21 feet), some 2 meters (6.5 feet) above alarm levels but still lower compared to the disastrous flooding in 1997.

In the two most-affected towns, Stronie Slaskie and Ladek-Zdroj, tap water and power were restored, said Gen. Michal Kamieniecki, who was put in charge of the recovery operations there after an emotional appeal to Prime Minister Donald Tusk for help the day before by a young woman identified only as Katarzyna.

As concerns mounted, Tusk invited von der Leyen to Wroclaw to see the situation first hand. Government leaders from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria were also there.

In Italy, rivers flooded in the provinces of Ravenna, Bologna and Forlì-Cesena, as local mayors asked people to stay on the upper floors or leave their houses. Those areas were hit by devastating floods in 2023, when more than 20 rivers overflowed, killing 17 people.

Italy’s vice minister for transport and infrastructure, Galeazzo Bignami, said Thursday that two people were reported missing in Bagnocavallo, in Ravenna province.

At least 800 residents in Ravenna and almost 200 in Bologna province spent the night in shelters, schools and sports centers. Trains were suspended and schools closed while residents were advised to avoid travel.

Associated Press writers Justin Spike in Budapest, Hungary, Karel Janicek in Prague and Giada Zampano in Rome contributed to this report.

Firefighters use a dingy boat to reach civilians to be evacuated after flooding in Faenza, in the region of Emilia Romagna, Italy, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Fabrizio Zani/LaPresse via AP)

Firefighters use a dingy boat to evacuate civilians after flooding in Faenza, in the region of Emilia Romagna, Italy, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Fabrizio Zani/LaPresse via AP)

Rescue staff check a flooded area in Bagnacavallo, in the region of Emilia Romagna, Italy, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Fabrizio Zani/LaPresse via AP)

A woman gets a bucket of water as residents return to clean up after recent floods in Mikulovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

An aerial view of Danube River and a flooded neighbourhood in Szentendre, Hungary, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Women save a cat from floods in Szentendre, near Budapest, Hungary, as the Danube river flooded its banks on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

Women save a cat from floods in Szentendre, near Budapest, Hungary, as the Danube river flooded its banks on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

People use a canoe on the outskirts of Szentendre, near Budapest, Hungary, as the Danube river floods its banks on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

A kid jumps to his canoe from the fence of his flooded house on the outskirts of Szentendre, near Budapest, Hungary, as the Danube river floods its banks on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

This handout photo provided by the State Fire Service of Poland, shows firefighters work at a cite of a flooding, near Stronie Slaskie, southwestern Poland, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Tomasz Fijolek/KG PSP via AP)

An aerial view of a flooded neighbourhood in Szentendre, Hungary, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

An aerial view of a flooded neighbourhood in Szentendre, Hungary, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk, center, attends a meeting with European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, left, and Austria's Chancellor Karl Nehammer, right, in Wroclaw, Poland, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Krzysztof Zatycki)

European Commmission President Ursula von der Leyen, right, talks to Jakub Mazur, First Deputy Mayor of Wroclaw, next to the river Bystrzyca near Woclaw, Poland, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Christoph Soeder/DPA via AP, Pool)

European Commmission President Ursula von der Leyen, left, meets with Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk, at the town hall in Woclaw, Poland, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Christoph Soeder/DPA via AP, Pool)

European Commmission President Ursula von der Leyen, right, talks to Jakub Mazur, First Deputy Mayor of Wroclaw, next to the river Bystrzyca near Woclaw, Poland, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Christoph Soeder/DPA via AP, Pool)

A woman stands by a river as residents return to clean up after recent floods near Pisecna, Czech Republic, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

A man walks cross a river as residents return to clean up after recent floods near Pisecna, Czech Republic, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Residents clean up after recent floods in Mikulovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

A man barrows out mud as residents return to clean up after recent floods in Mikulovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

A young man throws a piece of wood as residents return to clean up after recent floods in Mikulovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

A view of a damaged house after recent floods near Pisecna, Czech Republic, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

A view of damaged houses after recent floods near Pisecna, Czech Republic, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

A man throws damaged goods and furniture off a house as residents return to clean up after recent floods in Mikulovice, Czech Republic, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

A view of a damaged village of Mikulovice as residents return to clean after recent floods in Czech Republic, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

A view of a damaged house after recent floods near Pisecna, Czech Republic, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

This handout photo provided by the State Fire Service of Poland, shows damages after the flooding in southwestern Poland, Ladek Zdroj, Poland, on Thursday, Sept. 19 , 2024. (Grzegorz Rozanski/KG PSP via AP)

This handout photo provided by the State Fire Service of Poland, shows damages after the flooding in southwestern Poland, Ladek Zdroj, Poland, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Tomasz Fijolek/KG PSP via AP)

This handout photo provided by the State Fire Service of Poland, shows damages after the flooding in southwestern Poland, Ladek Zdroj, Poland, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Tomasz Fijolek/KG PSP via AP)

This handout photo provided by the State Fire Service of Poland, shows damages after the flooding in southwestern Poland, Ladek Zdroj, Poland, on Thursday, Sept. 19 , 2024. (Tomasz Fijolek/KG PSP via AP)

Workers try to pump away water after flooding in Faenza, in the region of Emilia Romagna, Italy, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Fabrizio Zani/LaPresse via AP)

A worker walks by a closed metro station protected by sandbags as the Danube river floods it's banks, central Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

People watch the Danube river as it floods its banks, central Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

A workers walks down to a metro station protected by sandbags as the Danube river floods it's banks, central Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

People watch the Danube river as it floods it's banks in central Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

People walk by a metro station protected by sandbags as the Danube river floods it's banks, central Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

People walk next to a metro station surrounded by sandbags as the Danube river floods it's banks, central Budapest, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

A man walks down to a metro station protected by sandbags as the Danube river floods it's banks, central Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

The reflection of the Parliament building seen in the metro station protected by sandbags after the Danube river floods it's banks, central Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

General view of the Parliament building as the Danube river floods its banks, central Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)

This satellite image released by Maxar Technologies shows flooded homes and fields following record rains in Ostrava, Czech Republic, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (Satellite image ©2024 Maxar Technologies via AP)

This satellite image released by Maxar Technologies shows flooded homes and businesses following heavy rains in Kravare, Czech Republic, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (Satellite image ©2024 Maxar Technologies via AP)

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban holds a news briefing on flood protection developments in the press room of the Prime Minister's Cabinet Office in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Szilard Koszticsak/MTI via AP)

The Lamone river overflows its banks near Bagnacavallo, in the region of Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Fabrizio Zani/LaPresse via AP)

The Lamone river overflows its banks near Bagnacavallo, in the region of Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Fabrizio Zani/LaPresse via AP)

The Lamone river overflows its banks near Bagnacavallo, in the region of Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Fabrizio Zani/LaPresse via AP)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.

Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.

Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”

Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”

He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”

Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.

More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.

Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.

In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.

Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”

Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.

“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.

The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.

Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.

In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)