June 4, 1954 – Celje was hit by a catastrophic flood.

On the night of June 4th and 5th, a “cloud broke”, causing another severe flood. The Savinjski vestnik reports “on a night of horror and destruction”, “on a disaster that insidiously struck the sleeping people of Celje”.
The eastern, industrial part of Celje and the entire lowland area between Štore, Škofja vasja and Arja vasja were the worst affected, as they were engulfed by the water wave of the Savinja tributaries. Despite the selfless rescue efforts of firefighters from the wider Celje area, the army and workers, the disaster in the Celje region claimed twenty-two lives and caused enormous material damage to crops, residential and industrial buildings, as well as roads and bridges.

For more information about the 1954 flood and other floods in the 20th century, visit the portal Chamber.