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All emergency services of the Czech Republic are mobilized to combat the biggest flood in recent decades and minimize its consequences.
The Minister of Internal Affairs of the Czech Republic, Vit Rakushan, stated this at a briefing after the end of the meeting of the crisis headquarters on Saturday evening, the correspondent of Ukrinform reports.
"We cannot present an optimistic scenario... The rain continues," stated the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Currently, a state of emergency has been declared in two regions - Moravian-Silesian and Olomouc regions, where heavy rains have lasted for three days. In some places in these regions, people are being evacuated to prepared places of temporary accommodation.
Rakushan urged fellow citizens to be extremely careful and, if possible, not to create additional work for emergency services.
The head of the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic Jana Chernokhova assured that the army is ready to help in the fight against the flood. More than a thousand soldiers, 300 pieces of equipment, and helicopters have already been involved. Military hospitals are ready to accept patients if necessary.
Downpours and the rapid rise of water in the largest rivers of the Czech Republic paralyzed normal life throughout the country. The worst situation is in the Moravian-Silesian region, where the water level reached a fifty-year high on Saturday. At least 3 people were evacuated.
In Prague, the Vltava River has overflowed its banks in places, shipping has been suspended. There is a danger of trees falling due to strong winds. The zoo and playgrounds in some parks are closed, firefighters are putting up barriers along the water artery.
The situation in the Odra basin is complicated. Water levels there are expected to peak on Monday morning, when more than 200mm of additional rain is forecast.
The maximum amount of precipitation in the Krkonose and Jesenika mountains until Monday is forecast to range from 400 to 500 mm.
The largest energy company in the Czech Republic, ČEZ, reported a large number of power line breaks, including high-voltage ones, in 11 districts. About 62 households remain without electricity. Mobile operators are also recording problems in some areas.
Photo: Olga Tanasiychuk, Ukrinform
