Floods ravage north Bohemia

A massive cleanup is under way after deadly flash floods in north Bohemia Aug. 7-8 claimed at least four lives, with another person still missing.

Some 2,000 people were evacuated during the disaster, which destroyed two water treatment plants and dozens of homes. Many roads and bridges were damaged or made impassable by the floodwaters, and several rail lines were forced to close.  

By Aug. 10, estimates for the cost of the damage caused were already in excess of 5 billion Kč ($266.2 million) and expected to rise further, and the government was scrambling to secure financing for the massive recovery effort.

The area worst affected by the flash flooding was the Liberec region, where a state of emergency was declared Aug. 7. In this region alone, damage estimates were put at more than 4 billion Kč.

More than 50 professional and voluntary fire units, 350 soldiers and other rescue services have been working since Aug. 7 to evacuate victims, clear debris and deliver essential supplies in the worst-hit areas.

The floods also struck the Ústí region, where flooding in the Děčín district was estimated to have caused more than 1 billion Kč worth of damage.

Less serious flooding also occurred in the Plzeň, Pardubice and south Bohemia regions, as well as Vysočina, which stretches into south Moravia.

Almost 5,000 homes were still without either electricity or gas supply as of Aug. 10. Operators RWE and ČEZ both warned it could take weeks or months to restore service to the worst-affected areas. Hundreds of households were also left without supplies of clean drinking water.

The government released 40 million Kč in emergency flood aid after an extraordinary meeting Aug. 9. A further 300 million to 350 million Kč was expected to be earmarked for reconstruction once damage estimates were received from the regions. The government has also approved the release of up to 1,000 soldiers to help areas cope with the aftermath of the floods between now and September.

In March, the caretaker government led by Jan Fischer opted to dip into a 3 billion Kč fund earmarked for disaster relief in order to finance the May general election. More than a third of this money was spent on the election. After floods in Moravia in May, Fischer's government was forced to issue 3 billion Kč in bonds to fund recovery efforts, a prospect that again looms, though Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek says he opposes such a move. 

Květa Šírová, spokeswoman for the Liberec region, told The Prague Post that authorities were still getting to grips with the immediate aftermath of these floods, and could not conclusively say how much the damage would eventually cost.

She said the regional authorities were busy trying to organize help for the worst-affected areas using their own crisis management teams and with the help of national authorities.

"I must say the Army as well as other rescue units reacted almost immediately," Šírová said. "We even had seven helicopters here to help evacuate people. They rescued 158 people from the roofs of their houses, together with seven dogs and one cat."

Prime Minister Petr Nečas, Interior Minister Radek John and Defense Minister Alexander Vondra all visited the Liberec region Aug. 8.

"They saw the situation with their own eyes and promised help," Šírová said. 

She said the region was using crisis funds for drinking water, cleaning, road repairs, fuel for fire brigade teams and food for volunteers.

A number of small towns were left submerged in water following the flash floods. The center of the town of Frýdlant was covered in 1.5 meters of water Aug. 7. Mayor Dan Ramzer said the area had not seen such flooding since the 19th century.

Michal Rohan, an IT worker in the town of Hrádek nad Nisou near the German border, said the interior of a friend's house was "absolutely awful" after extensive flood damage.

"The lower part of the town which had been recently renovated - in fact, the renovation works have not been finished yet - was entirely flooded," he told The Prague Post.

Rohan praised the work of the authorities to manage evacuations, divert traffic and provide emergency supplies, but said that the town was left without electricity or gas.

"The damage is huge and extensive. The biggest concerns among people are about their properties," Rohan said. "Some have been insured, some have not - and those without insurance lost all they had."

He added that some local businesses had also been severely affected. "The companies located in lower part of Hrádek also face ceasing to exist, because some like Pragovka had all their machine storage areas over there, and it has all been destroyed."

Rohan said he hoped the government would respond with flood aid after the disaster. "The government promises after every flood to give money, and nothing happens afterward," he said.

Instead of issuing bonds, Kalousek has floated the idea of a 100 Kč increase in monthly income tax to fund a new dedicated flood relief budget. Nečas said that the idea had yet to be discussed in detail.

Interior Minister Radek John told journalists Aug. 9 that funds of up to 46,000 Kč per household were available to those in material need following the flood. However, he also criticized some flood victims who he said "did not heed warnings." 

"In one village, people were warned in advance but did not listen and stayed in their homes, and later we had to save them with helicopters. And that costs us millions more," John said.

He said some of the reserve funding that would be made available would be used to help modernize the equipment of voluntary fire brigades, which in some cases were "still using fire hoses from 1969." Free fuel is also to be provided to the brigades.

Speaking to journalists Aug. 9, Defense Minister Alexander Vondra praised the efforts of rescue workers, who he said did a great job under difficult conditions.

"The amount of rainwater is really extreme. Without their enormous effort there would surely be more victims," he said. 

- Filip Šenk and Klára Jiřičná contributed to this report.

Bill Lehane can be reached at
blehane@praguepost.com