Czech municipalities preparing emergency accommodation as refugees pour in

The number of Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic could soon reach 400.000 and local municipalities have started preparing emergency accommodation, Interior Minister Vít Rakušan told journalists. Data from mobile phone operators already indicate that the number of refugees has crossed 200,000. Some localities are already reported to be using gym halls and other large spaces for temporary housing. The interior minister said that the speed with which refugee numbers were increasing was unprecedented. The government on Thursday earmarked 1.5 billion crowns to be used in aid of refugees in this country. Public donations have crossed the 2 billion crown mark.