Heavy rains and winds that swept across parts of Slovenia on 28 July caused fresh flooding, landslides and disruption in particular in the northern Koroška region and Logar Valley in a vivid reminder of the power of nature experienced at its most brutal force during devastating floods a year ago.

Several buildings were flooded in the town of Črna na Koroškem, the epicentre of the August 2023 floods, and a local was rescued by firefighters after being buried to his waist by a landslide in the area.

Mayor Romana Lesjak told the media that this time the main problem was that the sewerage system was unable to cope with the large amount of rain that fell in a short space of time.

She said the storm caused problems at similar spots as last year. Residential buildings were affected as well as a new bowling alley that was about to open. All available machinery and manpower was called in to deal with the material deposited by flood water and pump out water from flooded buildings.

31 mm of rain in ten minutes

According to the Environment Agency, rain was heaviest on Mt Uršlja Gora above Črna na Koroškem where in ten minutes 31 millimetres of rain fell and in half an hour 76 millimetres.

Heavy rainfall was also recorded in Slovenj Gradec, the Upper Savinja Valley and near Maribor and Celje.

Meanwhile, the strongest gust of wind was measured in Trojane, between Ljubljana and Celje, at 115 kilometres an hour.

Some 150 weather-related incidents were reported from various parts of the country. Firefighters had to deal with flooded buildings, toppled trees and uncovered roofs in the Koroška, Štajerska, and Zasavje regions, as well as near Črnomelj in the southeast.

Logar Valley hit twice in a week

The Logar Valley in the north saw a repeat of the situation a week ago as streams swollen by heavy rain brought down large amounts of gravel, blocking the path to the Rinka Falls and the Savinja River.

The local authorities are considering moving the path to the waterfall elsewhere until the riverbed is cleaned and secured, Solčava Mayor Katarina Prelesnik told the Slovenian Press Agency.

The Logar Valley is still welcoming visitors as part of the road remains open, said Prelesnik, calling on visitors to park their cars outside the valley and visit on foot.

Flood aftermath near the Rinka Falls in the Logar Valley. Photo: Solčava Mayor Katarina PrelesnikFlood aftermath near the Rinka Falls in the Logar Valley. Photo: Solčava Mayor Katarina Prelesnik

Prelesnik estimates that the heavy rain last week and this Sunday caused around €2 million in damage.

In the Zasavje region in central Slovenia a landslide blocked the road between Zagorje and Litija and the road in the Kamniška Bistrica valley was again washed away.