PHOTOS: Flood peak over in Budapest, here is when the Danube will recede

The flood peak on the Danube could leave Hungary on Tuesday, but vigilance must be maintained, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told a press conference on Sunday, after a meeting of the operative body for flood protection.

Orbán said there was a good chance that the peak would leave the country then, instead of Thursday, as earlier expected. He added that the peak was now at Dunaföldvár, some 100km south of Budapest. He said the third-degree flood alert level could be reduced in a number of areas from Monday, adding that heavy rain that could affect flood levels was not in the forecast.

Orbán said flood defence efforts had been successful and gave updates on settlements north of the capital. Asked whether flood defence workers would get a pay rise, Orbán said he was in talks with the head of water management. Addressing the possibility of closer regional flood prevention cooperation, Orbán said that was “on track while the V4 was working”. Hungary has know-how that it would gladly share, he added.

The flood reached the Paks Nuclear Power Plant:

Political life will return to normal next week, Orbán said, with a conference on European competitiveness on Wednesday and an inter-governmental meeting in North Macedonia on Thursday. Asked about a proposed debate with Péter Magyar, the leader of the opposition Tisza party, Orbán said issues could be debated when the next election takes place.

Photo: MTI

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán inspected flood defence work in Kisapostag, south of the capital, as the Danube peaked there on Sunday, the PM’s press chief said. Orban visited temporary flood defences in the village with Gábor Varga, the MP for the region, and Attila Nagy, the mayor of the settlement, Bertalan Havasi said. Flood defence authorities said a 500-metre long line of sandbags was protecting around 50 homes.

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