The Czech Republic has been hit by heavy rainfall since midnight, which will remain on our territory until the end of the week. Most of the rain is expected to fall during Saturday. The extreme precipitation warning is valid for the whole Czech Republic except for the Karlovy Vary and part of the Ústí nad Labem regions. The models predict the heaviest precipitation until Sunday evening in the belt from the Novohradské hory mountains through Vysočina to Jeseníky. Especially in the northern and northwestern windward parts of the Jeseníky Mountains, the models give extreme rainfall totals of over 300 millimetres over four days.
"In view of the warnings and forecasts of the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ), we have convened a meeting with the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Agriculture and representatives from the ČHMÚ, the Vltava River Basin and the Fire Brigade. The situation that awaits us in the coming days is likely to be similar to the situation we experienced in 1997 and 2002. The rain is expected to start tonight and a flood warning has been issued for almost the entire territory of the country, with the exception of the Karlovy Vary Region and partly the Ústí Region. The situation will also be difficult in terms of strong winds, which may cause trees to fall and, in connection with waterlogging, landslides. The worst situation should be in the Jeseníky Mountains, where 395 mm of rain should fall according to the optimistic scenario and 452 mm in the negative scenario. It is not only areas near rivers that are at risk, flash floods can also cause damage in valleys and on slopes," said the Minister for the Environment Petr Hladik (KDU-ČSL).
Minister Hladík also added: "I want to assure you that we are preparing in coordination with other security and state forces that are trained for this scenario. There will also be a meeting this evening with the governors, who are expected to brief the mayors and convene a meeting of the flood committees. A meeting of the central flood commission will also be convened tomorrow. We do not want to frighten the population, but it is important to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. We are doing everything we can to manage the situation in the best possible way."
Individual catchment areas are also preparing for the expected rainfall. Twice as much water is now flowing out of the Vltava Cascade than is flowing into it. That's 80,000 litres of water every second. Water managers have also increased outflows from major waterworks in other parts of the country, especially in the Morava and Oder basins, where the heaviest rains are expected.
"Since yesterday I have been in close contact with the management of all five Basin companies. We have gradually increased the outflows from the major reservoirs to expand the retention capacity to capture the expected high rainfall. We are closely monitoring the current hydrological situation and the current weather forecast and adjusting the handling of the individual reservoirs accordingly. Our aim is to ensure sufficient volume to transfer flood flows," said the Minister of Agriculture Marek Výborný (KDU-ČSL).
As a precautionary measure, the Basin Enterprises also ensure the 24-hour service of the water management control room and the availability of operational staff, members of flood committees and technical and safety supervision staff even outside working hours. As a standard practice, the river basins also check the readiness and condition of individual structures and equipment, such as mobile gates or pumps. They also contact the representatives of all municipalities where it will be possible/necessary to erect prepared mobile walls if necessary.
"Today we will be discussing further action with the regional governors, and the Integrated Rescue System is also intensively preparing for the situation and strengthening its capacities. We will also be in close contact with municipal and municipal governments. We ask everyone to follow the latest news and recommendations of firefighters and other emergency services," says the Minister of the Interior Vít Rakušan (STAN).
The CZMÚ will regularly update the forecast and inform the public about the current situation. "The warning has been in effect for part of the Czech Republic since midnight today, and since Friday afternoon the warning has been extended to almost the entire Czech Republic, with the exception of the Karlovy Vary Region and part of the Ústí nad Labem Region. It is likely to be the biggest flood situation since 2013, when our territory was also hit by extreme rainfall," says the director of the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute Mark Rieder with the pressure low advancing from the central Mediterranean over central Europe, where it will remain almost stationary at first, before slowly moving eastwards during Sunday and early next week. Heavy precipitation will intensify in the northern and northwestern windward mountains due to strong winds that are expected to blow across the country from Friday through Sunday.
Expected rainfall development
Thursday 12 September
The rain will intensify during the day, especially in eastern Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, where it should rain 20 to 40 mm, in the Jeseníky Mountains up to about 50 mm.
Friday 13 September
We expect heavier rain in the south and east of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia with 20 to 60 mm. On the windward side of the mountains in the north of the country, from the Lusatian Mountains to the Jeseníky Mountains, it may locally rain around 100 mm.
Saturday 14 September
The rainiest day, especially the first half. In the south-eastern half of the territory it may rain 20 to 60 mm, in the Novohradské hory and in the mountains in the north from the Lužické hory to the Beskydy and White Carpathians it may locally rain over 100 mm, in the Jeseníky Mountains even around 170 mm. In Bohemia, rain will decrease during the day from the west.
Sunday 15 September
Quite a lot of uncertainty already. Rainfall totals are most often 15 to 40 mm, in the northwestern windward mountains it can be locally up to 70 mm. Rain should gradually taper off over most of the area during the day.
At the beginning of next week the rain is likely to recede in the Beskydy Mountains with the highest totals around Lysá hora.
mzp.cz/gnews.cz - RoZ
ILLUSTRATIVE PHOTO - pixabay
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