FLOODS IN 2023

Abstract

From the perspective of hydrological conditions, 2023 was an abnormally wet year. Problems were caused by floods not just in the Slovenian region but also elsewhere. The successive weather events, which resulted in widespread flooding and torrential spills throughout the year, will be discussed in this paper. Extremely high levels of precipi­tation fell overall, particularly in northern, north-eastern, and south-eastern Slovenia. The rapid increase in river flows and the resulting saturation of the ground caused by the short time intervals between individual precipitation events led to many landslides, particularly in north-eastern Slovenia. A vast area of Slovenia was affected by the floods, particularly the basins of the Krka, Savinja, Sora, Kamniška Bistrica, Mura, Drava, and Soča Rivers. The fact that the Mura River flooded even outside the anti-flood embankments is evidence of the intense rainstorm events that occurred. The greatest flow return periods, which have been estimated to be more than 100 years in certain cases, demonstrate how unusual and rare these events were. The floods were larger and more severe than previ­ous exceptional disasters that had harmed Slovenia in numerous ways. It is thought that the flood damage totaled several billion euros.