Difficult situation in the Czech Republic
03 June 2013According to the Embassy of the Republicof Bulgariain Prague, the dire situation in the eight districts of the country hardest-hit by the floods caused by torrential rains continues. The most serious situation continues to be that in the regions near the headwaters of the rivers Vltava and Elba in South Bohemia.
There is concern as it is expected this afternoon that the level of the section of the Vltava that passes through Praguewill rise critically. Three hundred members of the Czech army are assisting local authorities in their efforts to deal with the water situation. According to the Crisis Staff, as at 11am local time, 256 people in distress had been rescued and 7150 people had been evacuated.
All metro stations in the centre of the Czech capital remain closed. There are disruptions to some tram lines, and road travel is difficult because of queues. Twelve rail lines in the country have been disrupted. Nine of these are being serviced by buses. A total of 120 sections of the primary and secondary road network are closed. There is no information on traffic being diverted on the highways as a result of the floods. Authorities urge drivers to exercise caution when driving on flooded roads.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly recommends that Bulgarian citizens planning to travel to the Czech Republic and the countries of Central Europe affected by the floods should carefully monitor the weather situation, comply strictly with the instructions of local authorities and, if possible, to not undertake travel to the region.