PHOTOS: Danube recedes, cleaning started in Budapest – UPDATED

The receding of the Danube started in Hungary as the flood left the country after peaking in Mohács, South Hungary yesterday. The cleaning process after the flood began in the capital since the floodwater can be a hotbed for lethal diseases like diarrhoea, sepsis, etc. Here is our photo report.

PM Viktor Orbán announced yesterday in a fancy video uploaded to his social media sites that the flood protection efforts finished in Hungary because the Danube started to recede everywhere. Consequently, he changed his profile photo again on Facebook: no boots, more white hair and a wider smile, which you can check out below. You may watch the Reels video HERE.

In Budapest, authorities began the cleaning process since the floodwater occupied the wharves and quays. Moreover, in Csepel, it even reached an illegal landfill. Authorities said there were only construction waste and furniture, no dangerous chemicals, etc. According to the government-close Magyar Nemzet, the Government Office of Pest County said they would carry away the waste piled up on private property, the owner of which is currently in prison, according to 444.hu. Furthermore, PM Orbán said there should be changes in the relevant laws to handle such situations.

Former PM Gyurcsány slamming the government for the illegal landfill:

And here is a video:

During the flood, a lot of money has been spent on promoting Orbán’s Facebook posts. Based on Meta’s data, they spent more than HUF 45 million (EUR 113,000) on ads between 16 and 22 September. Compared with the HUF 11,5 million (EUR 29 thousand) spent between 25 June and 16 September, the increase was fourfold, 444.hu wrote.

Orbán in Dunaszekcső. Photo: MTI

The cleaning process started in Budapest since the Danube occupied all the capital’s wharves and quays and floodwater can be a hotbed for dangerous diseases.

UPDATE: Mayor Karácsony says 150 people are cleaning Budapest

Interior secretary: Danube receding in Hungary

The River Danube has fully peaked and is receding in Hungary, though flood alerts will stay in place until Saturday afternoon, an interior ministry official said on Wednesday.

The water level is receding along the entire section, but flood defence operations are still ongoing at 29 locations where the state is overseeing tasks and at another 41 locations managed by local councils, parliamentary state secretary Bence Rétvári told a press conference after a meeting of the operative body in charge of flood protection.

PM Orbán no longer taking part on press conferences concerning the flood. Photo: MTI

All post-flood sites are being disinfected according to detailed guidelines provided to local authorities by the national public health centre, he said.

Read also:

• Positive update from Hungarian government on the floods in Hungary
• Flood PHOTO REPORT: Hungary underwater