The European Union's head office is warning that devastating floods through much of Central Europe and deadly wildfires in Portugal are joint proof of a “climate breakdown” that will become the norm unless drastic action is taken.

Based on estimates from local officials, the damage to infrastructure could reach a combined $10 billion in these two countries alone. Poland's finance minister said the $5.6 billion allotted from EU funds would cover some, but not all of the costs to recover from the floods.

As Storm Boris brought devastating floods to central and eastern Europe, skeptics on social media dismissed the role of climate change in making the deadly rainfall more intense. But scientists have established ties between a warmer atmosphere and torrential rain,