Prime minister warns water flow on Vltava cascade will be increased

Prime Minister Petr Nečas has warned that the water flow along the Vltava cascade – a series of dams and reservoirs on the Vltava River will need to be increased. On Monday evening the rate of flow of water on the Vltava measured 2900 cubic metres per second and could be go as high as 3300 by Tuesday afternoon. The prime minister stressed the need for increasing flow, saying the reservoir at Orlik, for example, was almost at full capacity. On Monday, Mr Nečas visited areas already affected by flooding; he said the system of waterworks on the Vltava granted municipalities time to prepare for flood waters and to react in advance. According to the Czech news agency, Prague currently has anti-flood barriers capable of withstanding a rate of 3700 cubic metres per second; over the course of the evening it will be increased to 4000, readying the city for 100-year floods. Devastating floods in 2002 saw a rate of more than 5000 cubic metres per second.