Prague: Prague has begun erecting flood defenses in its historic center on Friday after Czech forecasters expanded an extreme rainfall warning to include the capital, which experienced devastating floods over 20 years ago. Heavy rains have pummeled eastern parts of the Czech Republic since Thursday, with some areas expected to receive more than a third of their annual rainfall within four days by Sunday.
Central Europe is also bracing for similar weather conditions, with forecasts predicting heavy rain in southern Germany, Austria, Poland, and Slovakia over the coming days.
“Data shows we are facing uneasy days,” Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala stated during a televised briefing following a crisis committee meeting. He warned that in some regions, water levels could surpass those seen in floods that typically occur once in 100 years or more. “We are taking all the necessary measures to prevent damage to property and health,” Fiala assured the public.
On Friday, the highest risk warning was extended to central and southwestern regions, including Prague. The city, home to 1.3 million people, was severely affected by the 2002 floods, which led to mass evacuations, building collapses, and the shutdown of the capital’s subway system for months. Since then, Prague has invested heavily in flood barriers and other precautionary measures to prevent a similar disaster.
Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda appeared on Czech television, stating that waters along the Vltava River, which runs through the city and is crossed by the iconic 14th-century Charles Bridge, were expected to peak on Saturday night. “We are acting in a preventative mode, and we believe that starting anti-flood measures now will ensure that the situation of 2002 will not repeat itself,” Svoboda said.
Authorities have also started emptying reservoirs along the Vltava dam cascade upstream from Prague and other rivers to create space for the anticipated floodwaters. The heaviest rainfall is expected in the country’s eastern and northeastern regions, which are drained by the Elbe (Labe), Danube, and Oder (Odra) rivers, flowing toward Germany, Slovakia, and Poland, respectively.
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In response to the extreme weather, the Czech soccer league has canceled matches across the country, and various cities have called off cultural events. Firefighters are assisting in filling sandbags and erecting fixed flood barriers in affected towns and cities.
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In Poland, the southern city of Wroclaw has also canceled outdoor cultural events. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that emergency services are on standby for localized flooding. Meanwhile, Slovakia is taking precautions as the Morava River, which forms part of the Czech-Slovak and Austrian-Slovak borders before feeding into the Danube, threatens to overflow. Slovak Environment Minister Tomas Taraba mentioned that the government is exploring options to artificially divert the river into unpopulated areas to minimize the risk.
