Brno may be about to experience its worst flood event for a century, said South Moravian Governor Jan Grolich at a press conference this morning. Even in the best-case scenario, the floodwaters are almost certain to reach the highest level three.
However, Grolich added that the city still has time to prepare for the worst of the flooding, expected to peak on Sunday as water flows from the north of Moravia.
Many preparations are already underway. For security reasons, Brno’s Hospital of the Brothers of Mercy, which is close to the river Svratka, has suspended the admission of new mothers to the maternity ward and prohibited all visits to all wards for the entire weekend. “We ask all expectant mothers to use the services of nearby maternity hospitals if necessary. At the same time, we are asking anyone who does not need emergency medical help not to go to the hospital today,” said hospital spokeswoman Andrea Šromová.
The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute has extended the extreme flood warning to almost the entire country, except for western Bohemia, and water levels are expected to be highest over the weekend.
“As a result of the heavy rainfall, we expect significant rises in water levels from Friday evening. The highest rises, exceeding the third level of flood activity in numerous places, are expected during Saturday and Sunday,” the institute said.
Heavy rain is expected at least until the night of Monday; the situation will be aggravated by the threat of strong winds.
Not only the eastern, southern and northern parts of the country need to be prepared for flooding, but also Prague and Central Bohemia, the region surrounding the city.
In basins where more than 120 millimetres of water fall in 24 hours, levels could reach the 50-year flow limits, which meteorologists say means an extreme flood risk. The situation is expected to be most serious on the rivers that drain the Jeseniky Mountains and other northeastern mountain ranges, as well as the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands.
Rain began to fall over much of the country on Thursday, and is expected to gradually intensify. By Sunday, 150 to 300 millimetres of rain is expected to fall in the south-eastern half of the country and in the mountains in the north-east and north of Bohemia. In the Jeseniky area, even more than 400 litres per metre of water is expected to fall.
In the rest of the area, except for western Bohemia, there will be from 100 to 150 millimetres of rain. The meteorologists have extended the warning of heavy rain to the Ore Mountains today.
Winds will gust up to 90 kilometres per hour from tonight until Sunday morning, with gusts of around 110 kilometres per hour in the northern mountains. According to the current forecast, there will also be a lot of wind in the Plzen Region, where meteorologists have extended the original warning today. “Due to waterlogged ground and tree foliage, there will be numerous tree uprooted,” they warned.
