(ANSA-AFP) - PRAGUE, SEP 12 - Flood barriers and sandbags
were installed and dams emptied on Thursday as central Europe
got ready for what weather services predicted could be the worst
floods in decades. Forecasters in the Czech Republic and Poland
said parts of their countries might record up to 400 litres of
water per square metre over the next four days, while Austria
and Slovakia were bracing for some 200 litres. Cultural events
scheduled for the weekend were cancelled across the four
countries because of the cyclone named Boris. Poland expected
heavy rain especially in the south of the country, with cities
on the Oder river including Wroclaw and Opole on high alert.
Austrian TV channel ORF said the rainfall could cause the level
of the Danube to rise to five-year or even ten-year-highs.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on Wednesday the army was
ready to deploy up to 1,000 soldiers over the weekend if need
be. If forecasts for Slovakia hold, the rainfall could be
heavier than during the 2013 floods, which were considered a
once-in-a-thousand-year event, said the imeteo.sk website.
(ANSA-AFP).
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