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Czech Republic Floods Situation Report No. 1

Countries
Czechia
Sources
UN DHA
Publication date

Ref: DHAGVA - 97/0418
DISASTER OVERVIEW

1. Exceptional floods, affecting the northeast of the Czech Republic since 6 July, spread to cover almost a quarter of the country on 9 July. Thousands of families had to be evacuated as the flood waters threatened to destroy their dwellings. Preliminary reports indicated that nine people died.

2. Reports indicated also that more than 16,000 people near the third largest city, Ostrava, were evacuated when a dam on the Ostravice river had to open its gates to avoid bursting. Parts of Ostrava, a city of 326,000, were inundated on the morning of 9 July . The surging Morava river swamped Olomouc, a town of 100,000, forcing the main flood control commission to evacuate its headquarters. A flood wave moved eastwards down the Morava river, which flows from the northeastern corner of the Czech Republic to its southern border with Austria and Slovakia and feeds into the Danube near the Slovak capital Bratislava. In the north of the country the flood level has dropped leaving a one meter-deep layer of mud and debris. Rail and road connections to the affected areas remained interrupted and a number of towns lost power, gas and telephone services. Many industries were forced to stop or scale back production due to the flooding or interruptions of power.

3. The Czech Government made available food and fuel emergency reserves and extended army participation in rescue efforts. Relief authorities mobilized thousands of firefighters, army personnel, and civil protection groups to assist isolated villages. Czech defence reported that some 1,800 army personnel were already operating in flooded regions with 21 helicopters, a number of floating carriers and heavy trucks. The national defence was also authorized to call upon reservists to operate machinery and help national rescue teams.

4. DHA is actively monitoring the situation in close coordination with Czech authorities and with the Permanent Mission of the Czech Republic in Geneva.

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