News: Monday, September 16th, 2024

Moravia sees fresh floods on Monday, South Bohemia at high risk

While water levels have started receding in some areas, over 200 places in the Czech Republic remain on flood alert, one-third of them on the highest flood warning level. The situation is reported to be critical in several places - on the Chrudimka River, Opava River and the Odra River.

A fifty-meters-long crack appeared in the dam at the confluence of the Opava and Odra rivers, letting out a stream of 100 cubic metres of water per second and directly threatening Ostrava and Opava, parts of which were flooded. Ostrava has started evacuating inhabitants from some areas of the city. Litovel in the Olomouc Region was flooded on Monday morning and there are fears the situation could worsen in Olomouc and several location in the South Moravian Region.

The situation has worsened severely in South Bohemia where the highest flood level warning is in force in 13 places, and according to forecasts the belt of rain will move westwards. Forecasts predict  rain not only on Monday, but also on Tuesday and possibly Wednesday. Firefighters and emergency crews are on stand-by for evacuation.

Floods claim one life, eight people missing

The police have confirmed the first casualty of the floods. A man drowned in the Krasovka River in the Bruntál region, and eight people are reported missing. There is no trace so far of the three missing people whose car fell into a turbulent river in the Jesenice region on Saturday. A fifty-four-year-old man who fell into a swollen stream in the Uherské Hradiště region on Saturday also disappeared without trace. Firemen and rescue teams narrowly saved several people from drowning. The authorities have appealed to the public not to take risks and above all to refrain from adrenalin sports such as trying to sail down the swollen rivers in boats or on rafts.

The most tragic floods in the history of the Czech Republic claimed 50 lives in July 1997. The 2020 floods claimed nine casualties and seventeen people died in the 2002 floods. The police and local authorities said that getting an early warning of the floods thanks to more advanced meteorological models was a huge advantage that helped protect both lives and property.

Power outages complicating evacuation efforts

Around 118,000 households in the Czech Republic were without electricity on Monday due to the floods and strong winds. This is down slightly from the reported 135,000 power outages on Sunday evening. Although power companies are working to restore supplies as fast as possible, fresh outages have been reported in the course of the day due to more damaged power lines. In some places this has complicated evacuation efforts and communication with the public. The worst situation remains in the Moravia-Silesia Region, where 73,000 households are without power, and in the Olomouc Region, with 29,000 households without power.

Mobile networks in Moravia-Silesia and Olomouc regions still experiencing outages

Mobile networks in Moravia-Silesia and Olomouc regions are still facing local outages due to power cuts, with hundreds of cell towers without electricity. Access to some sites with diesel generators is restricted due to safety concerns, according to operators. CETIN, T-Mobile, O2, and Vodafone are working to restore service but are hindered by downed trees, flooded roads, and unstable ground. T-Mobile and O2 are offering unlimited mobile data to customers affected by fixed internet outages, while Vodafone has introduced unlimited data for its contract customers until September 19.

D1 motorway still closed, rail access to Ostrava likely closed for another week

The key road connection D1 motorway connecting Czechia to Poland remains closed near Ostrava, the largest population center in northern Moravia. Rail service to the city will remain suspended for at least another week, according to Transport Minister Martin Kupka (Civic Democratic Party). Severe disruptions are affecting railways in Ostrava, Opava, Jeseníky, and Šumperk, with potential for more closures as floodwaters move south. Currently, trains from Prague to Ostrava terminate in Hranice na Moravě. Rail routes to Slovakia remain operational. As of Sunday evening, 23 rail lines are disrupted or closed, with more expected in the Morava and Bečva river basins. Road conditions are also worsening, particularly in Olomouc and Moravia-Silesia, with major roads underwater or damaged.

Environment minister says regional and Senate elections remain on track

The Ministry of Interior is preparing a manual to help conduct the upcoming elections to regional councils and one-third of the Senate this weekend, Environment Minister Petr Hladik told reporters on Monday after a meeting of the Flood Control Commission. He said that postponing the elections would only be possible via a change of legislation, for which there is not much time. The minister said that in areas where it will not be possible to open polling stations on Friday and Saturday due to flooding or clean-up work, the ballots could be collected by specially assigned teams of volunteers. The regional and Senate elections are due to take place on Friday from 2pm till 10pm and on Saturday between 8 am and 2pm.

Government to discuss aid for flooded areas in emergency meeting

The Czech government will hold an emergency meeting on Monday evening to address the floods caused by heavy rainfall, especially in northern Moravia and Frýdlantsko. The meeting will focus on material aid for damage repair and measures to manage the crisis. Ministers will also discuss ensuring the upcoming regional and Senate elections proceed as planned and the potential use of EU solidarity funds and the National Recovery Plan. Prime Minister Petr Fiala said the damages will be significant, and the state will work with local authorities to support recovery efforts. Other topics include the deployment of the army and resources from the State Material Reserves.

Czechs donating money to help flood victims

Czechs have started contributing money in aid of those affected by the floods. A number of charity organizations have opened accounts for this purpose including People in Need, the Czech Red Cross, Charita Czech Republic and ADRA. People can also help by donating to Czech food banks.

First attempt at looting reported from Moravia-Silesia

The first attempt at looting in the areas affected by the floods has been reported from the Moravian-Silesian Region. According to the police it was an isolated case of looting on the premises of a private company in Ostrava. Moravian-Silesian Governor Josef Bělica has sharply condemned the incident and saying that such crimes merit the harshest penalties.

Keyholders to unlock chamber with Czech crown jewels for annual exhibition

Seven keyholders will unlock the Crown Chamber in St. Vitus Cathedral on Monday, retrieving the Czech crown jewels for public display. Starting Tuesday, the St. Wenceslas Crown, royal orb, scepter, and other regalia will be exhibited in the Vladislav Hall at Prague Castle, free to visitors until the end of September. This year's exhibition, "The Mysterious Power of Stones," will focus on the gemstones adorning the jewels. President Petr Pavel decided the jewels would be displayed annually to mark the feast of St. Wenceslas on September 28. The exhibition will be open daily, except for specific school group days.

Weather forecast

Tuesday should be partly cloudy with rain in the southern and western parts of the country and day temperatures between 17 and 21 degrees Celsius.