Flooded municipalities need more volunteers and equipment

Municipalities recovering from the floods have appealed for more volunteers to help with clean-up work, and say they need more dryers, pumps and other equipment used in the clean-up effort. Czech Television broadcast the appeal from 20 mayors in the affected areas. Appeals are also being posted on social media. Charity organizations and NGOs have already collected more than 221 million crowns in aid to the affected regions and are buying shovels, wheelbarrows, gloves, food and other basis necessities to provide both the locals and volunteers in the clean-up effort. The army has also been called on to help. There are fears that the onset of cold weather will make drying out the houses very difficult. On a visit to some of the worst affected areas President Pavel said that the reconstruction effort will take months or even years, urging the government to provide significant assistance to the municipalities in question.