Czechia braces for weekend of heavy rain and floods

On Friday, persistent heavy rains are expected to continue across most of Czechia, with warnings of extreme flooding. The situation will worsen with strong winds reaching up to 100 km/h. Water management authorities have been releasing water from reservoirs, and sandbags are being prepared across affected areas. The flood warning now covers nearly the entire country, except for western Bohemia. In Brno, comprehensive flood protection is still under development, leaving much of the city's infrastructure vulnerable. Evacuations have already begun, with 125 people evacuated from Biskoupky in South Moravia. With more rain expected through the weekend, there are official warnings that flooding could reach levels similar to those in 1997 or 2002. Most Czech political parties, both from the ruling coalition and the opposition, are suspending or limiting their election campaigns due to the looming flood threat. Events and meetings with citizens have been canceled, including a planned trip by opposition leader Andrej Babiš and his ANO Party . Most political leaders say that they aim to focus on managing the crisis rather than campaigning.