In Austria, sandbags are being prepared, reservoirs have been emptied in the Czech Republic, and flash floods are expected in Poland as forecasters warn of several days of “potentially catastrophic” rainfall.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reassured the public that there is “no reason to panic” following a flood risk briefing in Wroclaw, even though forecasts predict up to 15 cm (6 inches) of rainfall in four southern provinces.
In Austria, heavy rain and snow in mountainous areas have already caused travel disruptions, and Chancellor Karl Nehammer stated that up to 1,000 soldiers are ready to be deployed if necessary.
The Czech capital, Prague, is taking no risks, given the memories of devastating floods two decades ago. Images from the 2002 floods, which saw metro stations submerged, residents evacuated in rubber boats, and even elephants drowning in the Prague Zoo, remain vivid in local memory.
At around 10:00 (08:00 GMT) on Friday, a thick steel gate was closed to block the Devil’s Canal (Certovka), a narrow waterway that cuts through Prague’s historic Mala Strana district before joining the River Vltava. Workers in Prague also began closing floodgates along the Vltava River.
The Certovka gate is part of a comprehensive flood defense system that has cost more than €1 billion (£845 million) nationwide to prevent a repeat of the catastrophic floods of 1997 and 2002.
While Prague hopes to avoid the worst of the flooding, attention is focused on central and eastern regions, especially North Moravia, where 50 people lost their lives in 1997.
The Jeseniky Mountains could see up to 400 mm of rainfall over the next three days, with water then flowing down the River Oder (Odra in Czech) towards Poland, affecting numerous towns and villages along the way.
GeoSphere Austria’s weather map for Friday showed a vast band of rain stretching across Central Europe.
After attending a briefing by emergency services in southwestern Poland, Prime Minister Tusk emphasized that the forecasts were “not overly alarming” and that there was no reason to expect widespread national threats.
Poland’s territorial army is on standby, with two million sandbags stockpiled in Malopolska province and another million in Lower Silesia, the province surrounding Wroclaw.
Floods in Central Europe (Photo: Polish Police)Tusk noted that “localized flooding or so-called flash floods” could be expected, but the government is preparing accordingly.
Local media reported that thousands of Wroclaw residents had to use staircases in high-rise buildings after elevators were shut down due to flooding concerns.
Poland’s meteorological institute later extended the highest flood alert from the four southern provinces to the River Odra’s mouth in Szczecin, where it flows into the Baltic Sea.
Austria, which recorded its hottest August on record according to the GeoSphere Austria federal institute, now faces warnings of 10-20 cm of rainfall in many regions over the coming days.
Some areas, particularly in the mountains of Upper and Lower Austria and northern Upper Styria, could experience well over 20 cm.
Austria’s storm warning center, UWZ, stated that previous September rainfall records in some regions could be “surpassed in just a few days.” Meteorologist Manuel Kelemen of Puls24 TV called the weather conditions “extraordinary, if not unprecedented.”
The Austrian railway company OEBB advised passengers to postpone non-essential travel, with part of the Tauern railway line between Bad Hofgastein and Böckstein in Salzburg closed due to heavy snowfall.
Flooding and landslides are likely, and strong winds are expected in Vienna. The aid organization Caritas has called for volunteers to assist in affected areas.
Heavy rain is also forecasted across the border in the German state of Bavaria. Although this is a regional rather than national emergency, Central Europe is facing significant flooding threats.
Earlier this week, Czech authorities had to decline a request from Germany to halt the draining of reservoirs into the River Vltava, which feeds into the River Elbe (Labe in Czech) and flows into Germany, following the collapse of a bridge in Dresden.
The series of nine dams known as the Vltava Cascade must be kept half-empty to handle the expected water flow from the upcoming deluge.