Slovenia was hit by heavy rain and strong winds on Friday as a series of storms brought an abrupt end to a prolonged hot and dry spell.
More than 230 weather-related events including flooding and landslides have been reported across the country. The worst-hit regions were in the Gorenjska municipality of Preddvor, and in Koroška in the north, which experienced similarly devastating floods last August.
In the village of Kokra in Preddvor, a bridge was swept away by a swollen stream, while residents from three houses were evacuated after being engulfed by a landslide.
The storms damaged infrastructure, including a power line supplying Jezersko, a popular Alpine tourism destination. Scouts and hikers were affected by the treacherous conditions and firefighters moved 47 Belgian scouts to a hotel after their camp was swept away. Five German scouts were rescued from a ridge above Lake Bohinj.
The floods struck after 58mm (2.3in) of rain fell on the nearby city of Ljubljana on Friday evening, with more likely to have fallen over the northern mountains in Koroska.
The wet conditions follow an extended period of hot weather across the country, which has been 3-7C above average since 8 July with daily highs in the low-30s celsius.
East of the Philippines, a tropical depression developed into Tropical Storm Gaemi on Saturday, which is moving towards eastern Taiwan.
The storm, which has mean wind speeds of 51mph (82km/h) and gusts up to 67mph, is expected to strengthen as it passes over the warm seas south and east of Taiwan.
Gaemi, the third tropical storm of the typhoon season in the Pacific, is projected to develop into a typhoon early this week, hitting the island by Wednesday or Thursday. By then, it is forecast to have a radius of 220km and approach waters east of Taiwan.
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Ferry services between Taitung county and the Orchid and Green islands will be suspended from Tuesday to Thursday, depending on the development of Gaemi.
Source: theguardian.com
