After the expected heavy rains in the[1]Czech Republic from Friday, there is an extreme risk of flooding, especially in the east. According to the forecast, the situation will be similar to the big floods in 1997 and 2002, said Environment Minister Petr Hladík (KDU-ČSL). Water managers in important reservoirs are freeing up space for water capture, fire brigades and some municipalities and regions are also preparing to flood the streams. Interior Minister Vít Rakušan (STAN) asked the organizers of social events to consider whether they would be safe. The Central Flood Commission will meet on Thursday. The situation is monitored by the League Football Association, which manages the first and second leagues.[3]The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ) warned that very heavy to extreme rainfall will arrive in the Czech Republic on Thursday, which may significantly raise river levels in the following days. “In the south-eastern half of the territory and in the mountains in the north-east and north of Bohemia, the expected totals are between 150 and 250 millimeters (in four days),” he said on alert. The most rain is expected in the Jeseníky region, where more than 300 liters of water per square meter is expected to fall in the coming four days. According to meteorologists, the most serious flood situation will occur on the rivers that drain this mountain range and other mountain areas in the northeast of the country. Some rivers will significantly exceed stage three flood activity over the weekend, they said.
“Unfortunately, the situation that awaits us in the next four, maybe five days is very similar to the situation of the great floods of 1997 or 2002,” said Hladík. According to him, not only classic flood areas are at risk, according to him, flash floods can also occur in places where they usually do not occur. The minister also warned against strong winds that could cause trees to fall. The floods in 1997 were the most tragic to date in the Czech Republic with 50 victims, the floods in 2002 were the most destructive with estimated damages of 73 billion crowns.
The Austrian asked organizers of social events to consider whether it was safe to hold them on Friday and Saturday. “Logically, it mainly concerns events that are somewhere near water courses and the like. There, I would strongly recommend that they are not actually held,” said the Austrian. He also warned against possible flood tourism, which could complicate the work of the integrated rescue system.
Water managers are preparing for floods. For example, 80 cubic meters of water per second are now flowing out of the Vltava Cascade, which is twice the current inflow, said Minister of Agriculture Marek Výborný (KDU-ČSL). The Morava basin began to release storage volumes in the Vranov, Vír, Mostiště, Bystřička, Plumlov and Slušovice reservoirs. In the Odra basin, based on forecast models and consultation with meteorologists, they want to possibly increase the outflows from the reservoirs even more.
The enterprise Povodí Labe in the Králové Hradec Krai increased the outflows from the Elbe dam Les Králové near Dvor Králové nad Labem in Trutnovsk and at the Rozkoš reservoir in Náchodsk. Výborný said that due to the expected extreme rainfall, the Czech Republic did not comply with the request of the Germans to reduce the flow of the Elbe due to the fallen bridge in Dresden.
The Home Secretary has urged municipal leaders across the country to review their flood and evacuation plans. Hladík had an online meeting with the governors in the afternoon. “Everyone has accurate information available to their mayors and regional flood commissions,” X wrote on the social network after the meeting. According to him, people should heed the advice of firefighters, and if they live in flood areas, they should prepare an evacuation bag.
Hladík announced an online meeting with all governors this afternoon. The reason is that governors inform mayors about the situation and convene regional flood commissions as a precaution. Preparations for extreme and persistent rains were announced by the Pardubice region, in the region the organizers canceled some events or moved them under the roof. It is similar in the Královéhradecky and Liberec regions. For example, the Black Mountain Day, originally planned for Saturday, will not take place in the Krkonoše mountains, and the outdoor European Heritage Days program has been canceled in Jablonec nad Nisou. The weekend event of the National Stud in Kladruby will not take place either.
Towns and villages near streams in the south of Moravia began to prepare for impending floods. In the Olomouc Region, municipalities that recently experienced floods activated crisis teams. In a number of places, they secure crisis points along the streams and prepare sandbags, for example in Šišma in Přerovsk, they will also have them available for residents. “We are praying intensively,” said the mayor of Velké Týnec in Olomouc, Petr Hanuška. “We are prepared to the best of our ability,” he added. In Vysočina in Velké Meziříčí in the Žďársk region, firefighters installed flood defenses at the Balinka and Oslava streams.
Employees of Czech Railways (ČD) will have emergency services due to the predicted extreme rainfall. They will inform passengers about extraordinary events, the carrier’s spokesman Filip Medelský told ČTK. The League Football Association will inform in advance about the possible postponement of matches due to weather, it said on the X social network.
Firefighters in Brno fill bags with sand
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Brno firefighters started filling sandbags with sand to prevent the water from Svratka from spilling out of the banks along Poříčí Street on Wednesday, according to fire department spokesman Filip Venclovský. For over two and a half years, Brno has been building flood protection measures for a length of three kilometers, which also include making the banks of the river accessible to pedestrians and cyclists.
The work is not due to be completed until next April, after more than three years. However, Poříčí and the houses along the street are now without any protection. “We plan to fill 5,000 bags and, if necessary, we will use them to build dikes on two sections,” Venclovský said.
The Prague municipality also started preparing for heavy rain and the risk of flooding. Municipal organizations check equipment, material and ensure the readiness of employees. The administrator of the city’s forests began to release water from some reservoirs as a precaution, and the tenants of spaces on Prague’s floodplains received a warning to be prepared for possible measures. No restrictions have been announced for the public, municipality spokesman Vít Hofman said in a press release. Due to the expected situation, Prague firefighters canceled Friday’s Open Day. The garden of the Straka Academy will also remain closed.
Czech Republic Braces for Extreme Flooding After Heavy Rains
The Czech Republic is preparing for extreme flooding in the coming days, with Environment Minister Petr Hladík warning that the situation could be similar to the devastating floods of 1997 and 2002. Heavy rainfall is expected to arrive on Thursday, with the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ) predicting totals of 150-250 millimeters in the south-eastern half of the country and over 300 liters of water per square meter in the Jeseníky region [[2]].
The Central Flood Commission will meet on Thursday to discuss the situation, and the League Football Association will inform fans in advance of any possible match postponements due to weather. Water managers are preparing for floods by freeing up space in important reservoirs, and fire brigades and municipalities are also preparing for the worst [[1]].
Interior Minister Vít Rakušan has urged organizers of social events to consider whether they would be safe to hold, and warned against flood tourism, which could complicate the work of the integrated rescue system. The Home Secretary has also urged municipal leaders to review their flood and evacuation plans, and people living in flood areas are being advised to prepare an evacuation bag [[1]].
In preparation for the floods, the Morava basin has begun releasing storage volumes in several reservoirs, and the Povodí Labe enterprise has increased outflows from the Elbe dam Les Králové near Dvor Králové nad Labem in Trutnovsk and at the Rozkoš reservoir in Náchodsk. Czech Railways (ČD) will have emergency services in place and will inform passengers about extraordinary events [[1]].
Meanwhile, towns and villages near streams in the south of Moravia have begun preparing for impending floods, with municipalities that recently experienced floods activating crisis teams and securing crisis points along streams. Firefighters in Brno have started filling sandbags with sand to prevent the water from Svratka from spilling out of the banks along Poříčí Street [[1]].
The Czech Republic is no stranger to devastating floods, with the 1997 floods resulting in 50 victims and the 2002 floods causing estimated damages of 73 billion crowns. The current situation is being closely monitored, and authorities are urging people to take necessary precautions to stay safe.
Stay Safe and Prepared
Heed the advice of firefighters and authorities
Prepare an evacuation bag if you live in a flood area
Stay away from areas near water courses
Avoid traveling to areas affected by floods
* Stay informed about weather updates and flood warnings
References
[[1]]https://hydro.chmi.cz/hppsoldv/index.php?lng
What are the historical impacts of flash floods in the Czech Republic?
Flash Floods in the Czech Republic: A Recurring Natural Hazard
The Czech Republic is no stranger to flash floods, a natural hazard that can cause widespread damage and loss of life. In recent years, the country has experienced several devastating floods, including the 1997 and 2002 floods that left 50 people dead and caused estimated damages of 73 billion crowns, respectively [[2]]. According to Environment Minister Petr Hladík, the current situation in the Czech Republic is similar to those of the big floods in 1997 and 2002, with very heavy to extreme rainfall expected to arrive on Thursday, which may significantly raise river levels in the following days [[a href=”https://www.archyde.com/%e2%96%b6-a-complex-rescue-operation-continues-in-baltimore-after-the-bridge-collapse-ct24-czech-television/” title=”▶ A complex rescue operation continues in Baltimore after the bridge collapse — ČT24 — Czech Television”>[1]]].
Heavy Rainfall and Flooding
The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ) has warned that very heavy to extreme rainfall will arrive in the Czech Republic on Thursday, with expected totals of between 150 and 250 millimeters in four days in the south-eastern half of the territory and in the mountains in the north-east and north of Bohemia[[ahref=”https://wwwchmicz/files/portal/docs/meteo/om/vystrahy/indexhtml”target=”[[ahref=”https://wwwchmicz/files/portal/docs/meteo/om/vystrahy/indexhtml”target=”blank” rel=”noopener”>
]]. The most rain is expected in the Jeseníky region, where more than 300 liters of water per square meter is expected to fall in the coming four days. According to meteorologists, the most serious flood situation will occur on the rivers that drain this mountain range and other mountain areas in the northeast of the country. Some rivers will significantly exceed stage three flood activity over the weekend.
Preparations and Warnings
Water managers are preparing for floods by freeing up space for water capture, fire brigades and some municipalities and regions are also preparing to flood the streams. Interior Minister Vít Rakušan has asked organizers of social events to consider whether they would be safe, and the Central Flood Commission will meet on Thursday. The situation is monitored by the League Football Association, which manages the first and second leagues.
The Home Secretary has urged municipal leaders across the country to review their flood and evacuation plans. Hladík had an online meeting with the governors in the afternoon, and people are advised to heed the advice of firefighters and prepare an evacuation bag if they live in flood areas.
History of Flash Floods in the Czech Republic
Flash floods are a recurring natural hazard in the Czech Republic, with several devastating floods occurring in recent years. In 2001-2023, the country experienced numerous flash floods, characterized by their sudden onset, extreme discharges, short duration, material damage, and human loss[[ahref=”https://wwwresearchgatenet/figure/Flash-floods-in-the-Czech-Republic-in-the-2001-2023-period-fluctuations-with-linear[[ahref=”https://wwwresearchgatenet/figure/Flash-floods-in-the-Czech-Republic-in-the-2001-2023-period-fluctuations-with-linearfig2_380805027″> ]]. These floods represent a significant natural hazard, and the Czech Republic is not alone in experiencing them. Other European countries, such as Germany, Czechia, and The Netherlands, have also experienced severe floods in recent years [[a href=”https://www.euronews.com/video/2023/12/26/severe-floods-hit-europe-inhabitants-evacuate-their-homes-on-christmas-day”>[3]]].
Conclusion
The Czech Republic is bracing for heavy rainfall and potential flooding, with the situation similar to the big floods in
