Rivers subside around the Czech Republic

Most rivers that had swollen and flooded many parts of Bohemia in the past week are slowly beginning to recede. This week’s floods claimed eight lives and forced some 19,000 people to leave their homes. Some 31 thousand people around the country lost access to drinking water in their places of residence in the past four days, and many are still without power.

The Labe River reached its peak flow levels in the north Bohemian towns of Děčín and Ústí nad Labem on Wednesday night and began to slow down in the early hours of the morning. Areas surrounding the riverfront in both towns have been flooded since Wednesday morning, as water made it over floodwalls. In Ústí nad Labem, more than 3,000 people had to leave their homes, and in Děčín over 1,000 due to the inundation. The authorities expect the Labe to return to normal levels within the next week.