The floods, which have claimed the lives of least five people in Poland alone, are causing chaos across the east of Europe.

Auschwitz, one of the most notorious of the Nazi era concentration camps, has closed until at least tomorrow (May 20) as high waters pour through the south of Poland.

The River Soła, which flows next to the World War II interment camp, is much higher than average and has threatened to flood the site.

A spokesman for the camp, which is now a holocaust museum, said: “The museum has carried out the internal evacuation of valuable historical objects and archival records on the ground floors of the original camp buildings.

“Museum specialists are constantly monitoring the situation in the area around the museum, and are in continual contact with the local government emergency staff.”

However he added that the standing water ‘means that some parts’ of the site will remain closed for ‘a longer period’.

The area around the camp the Małopolska region, which comprises the central south area of Poland and includes the tourist hot-spot of Krakow, more than 4000 homes are without power.

Luke Walsh

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