Update: 24.12.2023 19:12
Presented by: 24.12.2023, 15:50
PRAGUE – As a result of rain and melting snow, water levels in streams and rivers rose today in more than a hundred places in the Czech Republic. In the evening, the flows were at the highest level, in which the water threatens property and lives, in five places, mainly in the southern Bohemian region. Wind and heavy snow caused power outages in many parts of the Czech Republic even on Christmas Day. By early morning, nearly 100,000 customers were without power, and by late afternoon that number had dwindled to a few thousand.
The third flood stage was used in the morning at Oher in Karlovy Vary, Czernowicki Podok in Dukabe in Daborsk and Moravska Taija in Zano in Jindrichhohradec. In the afternoon they joined the Mandava in Warnsdorf, the Nezarka in Rodvino in Jindrigohrateki, and the Zhirovnis River in the village of the same name in Belharimovsk. While the gauging stations in Mantava and Černovické potok already recorded a drop to the second level, on the other hand the river Žejbro in Rosice in the Chrudim region rose to the highest level.
The effects of floods and rains are mainly felt in the south of Bohemia. Four times more water flows out of the Lipno Dam than it leaves. Despite this, the reservoir's capacity is still sufficient and Vltava pod Lipnem should not overflow its banks, Hugo Roldán, spokesman for the Vltava River Basin, told ČTK.
There are problems with rising water in the Karlovy Vary region. Firefighters rescued five people from a planters' colony in Dubi's Karlovy Vary district this morning. They were taken in a boat from the hut used for permanent living, cut off by water from Ohře.
In the Ústí region, the Mandava in Varnsdorf in Děčín reached the third flood stage after noon. By 4:30 pm, the water level of the river had dropped to the second stage. Due to the rising river Elbe, they decided to close the road to Dolní Žleb in Děčín on Friday evening, where people can now only go by train.
In addition to the increased levels of some streams, life in the Czech Republic has been complicated by the effects of windy weather and sometimes heavy snowfalls over the past few days. Firefighters are overworked due to bad weather. They intervened in nearly 3,500 cases on Saturday, seven times more than a normal day. Mostly, it helps to manage traffic accidents and the effects of severe snowfall. Jiri Frölich, a spokesman for the Czech Republic's General Directorate of Fire and Rescue Service, said they were also evacuated because of the fire and rising river levels.
In the morning, road workers opened the D1 highway in Vysosina. On Saturday evening, it was blocked by stranded trucks from the 70th kilometer in the direction of Brno. As a result, vehicles were stuck on the highway for several hours. Roads and Highways Directorate (ŘSD) director Radek Mátl apologized for the situation. Long queues formed on the road due to wet snow, and some trucks could not make it up the hill.
Energy workers also had to go to the field more. Early this morning, nearly 100,000 customers were without power in the Czech Republic, according to data from distribution companies ČEZ and EG.D. However, the situation began to improve in the morning, and by lunchtime around 31,000 homes and establishments were without power. By afternoon, around 8,000 subscribers, mainly in the Highlands, had to be connected at last. Power utility spokesmen expect most of the outages to be cleared today.
According to today's warning from the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ), windy weather will last in parts of the Czech Republic until Monday morning. Winds up to 70 kilometers per hour, especially in Bohemia and Moravia and in the north of Silesia. Winds may be stronger at some places. It will gradually weaken on Monday afternoon and evening.
A flood warning will also remain in effect until further notice. Today, there is a risk of flooding in the Karlovy Vary region, around Kadana in the Ústí region and in the Chrudim region. However, with the exception of the southern part of the South Bohemian region, almost the entire Czech Republic is threatened with rising water levels.
