Daily news summary

Number of road fatalities in Czechia above EU average

The number of road fatalities in the Czech Republic is above the EU average, the Czech News Agency reported on Saturday, citing new data from the European Commission. According to the latest figures, 62 people per one million residents were killed on Czech roads in 2018, as compared to the EU average of 49 deaths per million.

The Czech Republic dropped six places in the ranking of 28 countries to 21st place, with the number of road deaths increasing by 14 percent year-on-year. Overall, there were 25,100 traffic fatalities in the EU last year and around 135, 000 people suffered serious injuries.

Thousands of volunteers take part in Czech spring clean-up

Thousands of volunteers are taking part in a massive spring clean-up of the Czech countryside this weekend. The rubbish clearance, which was launched in 2008, is part of the international campaign Clean up the World.

Volunteers are cleaning up rubbish in forests, at the road sides, along rivers and pathways. According to organizers, this years focus are old tires. It is estimated that up to 80,000 people could take part this year.

Thursday saw record number of fires

Firefighters were called to assist in 216 fires on Thursday, which is four times more than the average, the Fire Rescue Service informed on its website. The figure exceeds records set during the extremely hot and dry summers of 2015 and 2018.

According to the spokeswoman for the Fire Rescue Service, Nicole Zaoralová, fires in the open nature prevail these days and they are mainly caused by peoples negligence when burning garden waste and old grass. Another factor behind the upsurge is the unseasonably dry weather.

Easter markets open in Prague

The traditional Easter market opens on Prague’s Old Town Square on Saturday. Visitors will find stalls selling food and a wide variety of Easter products including hand-painted eggs, wooden toys and decorated gingerbread.

An outdoor stage has been set up for the performances of choirs, folk music and dance ensembles from around the country. Easter markets also get underway on Wenceslas Square and Náměstí Republiky. They will run until April 28.

Average temperatures expected in next four weeks

Average temperatures for the season are expected in the coming four-week period, according to the long-term weather forecast issued by the Czech Hydro-Meteorological Institute issued on Saturday.

The coming week should see temperatures of around 13 degrees Celsius.  The first week of May. Towards the end of the four-week period, we can expect day-time highs of around 18 degrees Celsius. Precipitation should also be average for the time of year.

Kenyan Benard Kimeli wins Prague Half-Marathon

Kenyan long-distance runner Benard Kimeli has won the Prague Half-Marathon. The defending champion improved his personal best on the 21-kilometer track to 59 minutes and 7 seconds.

In the women’s race, another Kenyan, Caroline Kipkirui, who now represents Kazakhstan, won with a time of 1:05:44. Jiří Homoláč was the best of Czechs and Europeans, covering the distance in over 64 minutes.

Weather

Sunday is expected to be partly cloudy with daytime highs ranging between 14 and 18 degrees Celsius.