After the first crisis staff meeting on 8th August a moment of short relief came. It appeared that the high water conditions weren’t as dramatic as it seamed. Later on the daily news is not as optimistic. It has been continually raining since Sunday and the river Vltava in Prague has continued rising. Early morning flow rate number reached as high as 1.400 solid meters per second which is more than it was announced. The Basin of Vlatava Company denies the increase in Orlicka Dam drainage. It finally turns out that the water level increase was due to local rains.
As the water level in Prague reaches 284 centimetres and is gradually increasing, conditions in Prague are additionally influenced by flooding at the river Berounka and overflowing banks of Vltava at the Slapy Dam. 20 people had to be evacuated from the cottage recreational area. Before noon the Vltava water level is so high that it floods streets connecting the recreational village Jarov by Zbraslav with Vrané nad Vltavou. Traffic is halted in Prague at the embankment between National Theatre and the Inter-Continental hotel. “We expect that Prague will be hit by twenty-year record high water around 5 p.m., however, we are making preparation for fifty year record high water,” announced mayor Igor Němec. He added that cars are being towed away in the Lesser Town and 70 rescue regiment soldiers from Kutna Hora are making their way to Prague. Roztocka Street is closed for cars between the Kamycka Street crossroads and Roztoky. There is no thoroughfare at two underpasses below Strakonicka Street in Prague 5: one of them leads under the Lahovicky Bridge in the Radotín direction, the second one is at the crossroad by the K přehradám Street and the Zbraslav turning. These two had been closed already prior to 8th August when the first high water wave arrived.
Evacuation Begins
During afternoon the Na Františku hospital started moving their patients to four other hospitals. It was a crisis staff decision. First of all the ARO patients were evacuated, the rest followed. Emergency services are moved to the Pod Petřínem Hospital.
Also the Prague ZOO doesn’t leave anything to chance. Shortly after the noon the lower part of the garden is moved - big turtles, birds, Cameroon goats, local sheep and flamingos. No one is anticipating what is going to happen. “The gorilla’s evacuation is not necessary as they can move into the flood tower which is in their enclosure,” said one of the ZOO employees. The big cat’s evacuation is being prepared; however, everybody hopes that it will not come to that.
After the evaluation of all the accessible data, the crisis staff anticipation is a two meter water level rise, which would mean for the water level to be about three meters above normal. The National Library is preventively closing its quarters in Klementinum and employees are emptying cellars – precious prints are moved to the higher floors.
First and Last Death
On 12th August floods haven’t even started and still a man became a victim of high water. Careless fifty year old cottager in Radotín in spite of his neighbours’ warnings walked through high water. In front of their eyes he suddenly disappeared under the water and no one could have helped him. In the end it turns out that he was a first and last direct high water victim. Few days later a volunteer fireman died whilst saving property, however, his death was caused by a heart attack.
What Eyes Don’t See
When a crisis comes city citizens are mostly worried about their lives and property. At this moment only few of them appreciate the work of the crisis staff. Not only do they fight the water that is flooding the streets but they also struggle to maintain the city life. On 12th August nobody expects for the sewerage plant to disappear under the water. Still the water preparation plant in Podoli is preventively closed down. PVK (Prague Water Supply and Sewerage Company) is banking upon restoring its operation after the high water is over. No one anticipates that the Podoli Water Plant will from now on serve only as a back up. Floods will also finish the operation of the industrial water pipe in Liben which has been supplying surrounding factories with crude water. The water pipe will be put out of service on 13th August to never again regain its functionality.
Luckily for the duration of the floods Prague will be successfully supplied by drinking water as the other sources - Káraný and Želivka are not endangered by floods. “Our water supplies remained clean and any significant risk hasn’t occurred for the whole period of floods,” stated Prague Water Supply and Sewerage Company’s spokesman Marcela Dvořáková shortly after the end of floods. Electricity supply conditions were, however, worse. Prague Power Supply Company (Pražská energetika) warned that in case of higher water levels endangered parts of the city will be gradually disconnected.
What is Going to Happen at Night?
With the coming of evening the crisis staff make preparations for the fifty year water alternative. That means closure of the Malostranská, Staroměstská, Vltavská and Nádraží Holešovice tube stations. According to the flood map about 128 places in the area between Zbraslav and Sedlce are likely to be endangered. The twenty year high watermark arrives to Prague. Kampa, Lahovický Bridge, Strakonická trunk road, Podolské embankment, Rašínovo embankment, Masarykovo embankment, Klárov, Maltézské Square, Bubenské embankment, Podbabská Street, Zbraslavská Street,U Trojského zámku Street, Rohanské embankment and other places disappear underwater. Even the biggest cynics admit that the twenty million Old Town flood control investment was justified. Around 9 p.m. work begins on Alšovo and Smetanovo embankments on erecting two meter flood barriers.
Hope mingles with scepticism. Schools prepare for accommodating evacuated flood victims. 50 buses are allocated for their transport. Worst scenarios would mean the evacuation of about six thousand people from the centre and another thousand from the rest of the endangered parts. Flood barriers, this time made out of sand-sacks, are built on Kampa. Dyke building become a tourist attraction with lots of photographing going on.
No Good News – metro stopped working
The highest, third flood security level is enounced. Now is time to solve apparent trifles which can still have far-reaching consequences. Kristia- Marco ship, which is anchored by the Krannerova fountain on Smetanovo embankment, was not put away in a protected harbour as it was instructed. The owner, Prague Steam Navigation Company (Pražská paroplavební společnost), insist that the ship is securely anchored and can’t be threatened even by higher water. A solution is eventually found - town council summoned tanks to hold the ship. Smetanovo embankment acquires war zone look.
Midnight is coming. Parts of Karlín, Smíchov, Holešovice and Lesser Town are still being evacuated. Metro stations in sections between Florenc and Nádraží Holešovice are being closed. Substitute bus transport is provided. Bus routes are extended from their Nadrazi Holesovice final stop to Florenc. The last passenger train drives through Karlín four minutes before midnight. Afterwards the stations are gradually closed. In the following day metro trains will drive only on the outlying parts.
The End of Culture
The following day should be a day of the ceremonial Kampa Museum opening. To be more exact, it is its last part which was to be opened. Meda Mládková finally announces that the ceremony is postponed to better days. She doesn’t anticipate that waiting for the better days will be so long. This evening the river Vltava flows one meter below the exhibition hall, tomorrow water level will rise another two meters. Exhibits will have to stay on upper floors where they were moved a week ago when the first wave of flooding hit. Water is already leaking into the Museum in spite of sand sacks. Midnight is approaching and Prague doesn’t sleep. Flood is coming.