Floods devastate Hungarian farmer's crops

Hungarian farmer Laszlo Batki was just days away from harvesting his organic tomatoes, peppers, radishes, and lettuce when the swollen River Danube flooded most of his small farm north of Budapest this week.

After battling drought all summer, Batki's crops were in need of careful nurturing. They were nearly ready when the floods wiped out most of what was left. He now faces a significant loss.

"This means a loss of income...also, we can't sow new crops as previously planned, and we can't start preparing the soil for next year," the 36-year-old said, standing knee-deep in water, surveying his partially submerged farm.

The worst floods in central Europe in over two decades have wreaked havoc from Romania to Poland, killing at least 24 people, destroying bridges, submerging vehicles, and leaving towns buried in mud and debris. 

Across Hungary, flood waters continued to rise as authorities closed roads and rail stations and 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. The Danube stood at over 771 centimeters (25 feet), approaching the 891-centimeter (29.2 feet) record set during major flooding in 2013.

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

Batki, who bought his one-hectare (2.47-acre) plot two years ago, had been using sustainable farming methods with hopes of inspiring other local farmers. Despite the destruction, he remains optimistic. He believes switching to more traditional crops could help him adapt to future floods, viewing the event with a silver lining.

"This is a bad thing. But on the other hand, it is also good. The Danube arrives, and it fills up the dried-up land with water and brings nutrients as well," he said.

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