Attention: Major flood protection alert declared in Budapest amid rising Danube levels, roads closed

A major flood protection alert has been declared in Budapest. According to the latest forecasts, the Danube’s water level is expected to rise by one meter each day starting Monday. Projections indicate that the river could peak in the latter half of next week, with water levels exceeding 8 meters. Given this significant rise, Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony has announced a third-degree flood protection alert for all Budapest sections of the river, starting at midnight on Monday, 16 September, as stated by the Mayor’s Office.

According to an article by Portfolio, the Municipal Sewage Works (Fővárosi Csatornázási Művek, FCSM), responsible for flood defences, will begin closing the flood gates along the Nánási-Királyok Road defence line and constructing a four-kilometre-long clay embankment starting Monday.

Due to this temporary barrier, Királyok Road will be closed to traffic.

On Margaret Island, especially in its lower-lying areas, flood defences will be reinforced with sandbags. FCSM will use high-capacity machinery for this, drawing on experience from the 2013 flood defence efforts.

If the situation worsens, Margaret Island may also be closed to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic by mid-next week.

The lower embankments on the Pest side are expected to flood by Tuesday, September 17. Some sections, already closed for an event over the weekend, will remain shut until the floodwaters recede. Additionally, Budapest Road Management (Budapest Közút) will fully close the remaining Pest embankments and all of the Buda lower embankments from 8 PM on Monday, 16 September.