The patriarchs of the Serbian Orthodox church and of Montenegro have blamed devastating floods in the Balkans on Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst, saying “God sent the rains as a reminder that people should not join the wild side.”

Tens of thousands of people are affected by the floods, and hundreds of thousands have been left without electricity. Dozens have died.

According to the Economist, Patriarch Irinej of the Serbian church said the floods were used by God to attack the LGBT community, and that they were “divine punishment for their vices”.

He also reportedly said that “God is thus washing Serbia of its sins.”

Other reports quote patriarch Amfilohije, of Montenegro as having said the floods were a sign that people should reject the “Jesus-like-figure” of Wurst, who won Eurovision last week.

He said the flood “Is not a coincidence, but a warning. God sent the rains as a reminder that people should not join the wild side.”

Wurst’s victory was met with outrage by several homophobic Russian politicians.

The president of Russia’s state-run rail corporation accused the West of imposing “pure propaganda” following Wurst’s victory.