Flash floods kill at least three in north of country, cause major devastation

At least three people drowned in flash floods which hit northern areas of the Czech Republic on Saturday, police and rescue officials have said. The floods struck primarily in the region of Liberec and the neighboring Ústí nad Labem which declared a state of emergency. Among those who died in the floods was an elderly man trapped in his home in Dolní Libchava near Česká Lípa. Officials expect the final toll could be higher, as three people remain missing - including a man who was last seen falling into raging waters.

Along with the toll in lives, floodwaters on Saturday caused untold damage to property and infrastructure, grinding through asphalt roads and railway lines, sweeping away cars, and damaging or destroying personal homes. Around 2,000 people were evacuated from their homes by rescue workers and military personnel called in to deal with the calamity.

Some 700 professional as well as voluntary fire fighters worked around the clock together with the army, which supplied military and police helicopters for rescue missions, as well as heavy machinery and two amphibious vehicles. Both the head of the General Staff, Vlastimil Picek, and Defence Minister Alexandr Vondra flew to flood-stricken areas to assess the damage.

Author: Jan Velinger