Czech authorities issued warnings Wednesday of extreme rainfall that could lead to flooding. Virtually the entire country is at risk, with the first downpours expected to reach eastern regions after midnight on Thursday. It is expected to rain for four to five days.
Extreme downpours are also forecast for the Czech Republic. Environment Minister Peter Hladik said at an emergency press conference on Wednesday that the situation could resemble that of 1997 and 2002, when the Czech Republic was hit by catastrophic floods, causing deaths and huge material losses.
Over the four days from Thursday to Sunday, precipitation totals of 150 to 250 millimetres are expected in the south-eastern part of the country, in the mountains, in the north-east and in the north, the Czech Hydrometeorological Office (CHMU) reported.
An appeal to residents
The risk of flooding is expected to be highest on Saturday and Sunday. Interior Minister Vit Rakuszan appealed to organizers of various events, especially those scheduled to take place near rivers, to postpone or cancel them. He also said that people living near flooded areas should have evacuation backpacks ready. They should also have a supply of drinking water, charged mobile phones or power banks.
The authorities have already taken action to help limit the scope of a potential flood. In the Odra River basin dams, they have begun to limit the water level in seven reservoirs at the most important dams in the region.
In contact with other countries
Increased water flow may already be visible in the Oder on the Polish side of the border. Czech Agriculture Minister Marek Vyborny said that he informed the Polish side about the situation in the Oder basin on Wednesday.
The Czechs are also in contact with Germany. The German side has asked to limit the flow of water in the Elbe, which would help in the operations at the collapsed bridge in Dresden. Prague rejected the request, indicating the need to protect its own citizens, which at this stage means lowering the water level in the retention reservoirs on the Elbe and Vltava. The ministers responsible for the situation related to flood prevention and its effects – the interior, environment and agriculture – were to hold several conferences with representatives of the authorities and services in the regions on Wednesday. A meeting of the central flood team has been announced for Thursday.
Main image source: Shutterstock/CHMU