News of Radio Prague
South, west Bohemia brace for more floods after heavy rain
Heavy rains drenched parts of the Czech Republic on Wednesday night as meteorologists warned that more rain in the next few days could lead to further flooding. Some 70 millimetres of rain fell late Wednesday and early Thursday on the Sumava and Novohradske mountains near the Czech-Austrian border, and on the western city of Plzen. As a result, some of the area's rivers, which flow north towards Prague and Germany, are once again slowly rising. The Czech Meteorological Institute has issued a storm and flash-flood warning for southern and western Bohemia.
Flood death toll rises to fourteen
The death toll from the floods reached 14 on Thursday, when police found the body of a man floating in a river near Roztoky, just west of Prague. Police believe the body is that of a 24-year-old Slovak who was reported missing. The Czech authorities have launched a massive clean-up following the worst floods in several centuries. More than 200,000 people were evacuated from their homes, many houses were destroyed, and the final cost of repairing the damage could reach three billion dollars.
Prague residents return to flood-devastated homes
More than 1,000 residents of Prague returned to the flood-ravaged neighbourhood of Karlin this week, the first time they had been allowed back to their homes. Some have been allowed home permanently, others were given a few hours to collect valuables and throw out rotting food. Officials say contaminated rubbish and decaying meat in butchers' shops poses a major health hazard. So far, three buildings in Karlin have collapsed, although no one was hurt. Prague authorities have warned they would not be responsible for the safety of residents who violate evacuation orders.
Visegrad presidents meet to express solidarity after floods
The presidents of several Central European countries gathered in the town of Castolovice on Thursday in a sign of solidarity during the current flood crisis. Czech President Vaclav Havel received pledges of support and emergency aid from Hungarian President Ferenc Madl and Polish President Alexander Kwasniewski. Slovakia's Rudolf Schuster was unable to attend due to illness. The Visegrad group, consisting of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland, was formed ten years ago to promote co-operation among the four former Communist countries. Each is currently a leading candidate for the European Union, and Slovakia may join the other three in the NATO alliance this year.
Havel: Communist regime contributed to flood catastrophe
President Havel said earlier this weeks that the Czech Republic had partly brought the flood devastation upon itself, laying the blame at the feet of the country's former communist rulers. In an article published in Britain's Financial Times newspaper, Mr Havel blamed what he described as "long-term attacks on the natural fabric of the landscape" - especially during the Communist era - for the devastation wrought by the floods over the past fortnight.
Weather forecast
And there are storms and heavy rain forecast for much of the country tonight, with temperatures at night dropping to lows of 13 degrees. Friday will see more showers and storms in places, but also some hot and sunny periods. Temperatures in the daytime will range between 24 and 28 degrees Celsius.
