Hungarian Defence Forces contribute 12,000 soldiers, helicopters and volunteers to flood protection

Preparations for flood protection have reached “one hundred percent” across the entirety of Hungary, the interior minister said on Monday.

Sándor Pintér told a press conference that measures implemented so far will ensure that the water of the Danube river can be confined and kept between its barriers.

He said that for other rivers,

the measures may include temporarily opening reservoirs to protect residents, their property, and their land from flood water.

Protection operations are carried out with the participation of water management authorities, the armed forces, police, prison management and the national disaster management chief directorate, Pintér said, adding that municipalities and the ambulance services were also on alert.

Meanwhile, the prime minister has convened the operative body for flood protection, the minister said, adding that its work was coordinated by the national disaster management authority backed by national water management authority providing expertise.

The Hungarian army is also participating in flood protection with 12,000 people, equipment including helicopters and convicts who volunteer, he said.

Source: hmzrinyi.hu

Pintér asked municipalities to set up flood defence committees, adding that sandbags, vehicles and other equipment would be provided by the central operative body.

The flood situation will be evaluated early in the morning on the basis of overnight data every day and steps will be taken accordingly, he said.

As we wrote today, a third-degree, highest-level flood alert is in effect along all sections of the Danube in Budapest from Monday, details HERE.

Government supporting local councils in flood defence

The parliamentary state secretary of the interior ministry said on Monday that the state is providing local councils with professional, logistical, material, and financial assistance in their flood protection efforts.

The state is providing multiple forms of assistance to every locality defending against the flood, Bence Rétvári told a press conference. Each locality has been assigned an expert from the water management authority with extensive knowledge on flood protection who will help organise the defence work, he said.

He added that each locality has a liaison officer from the disaster management authority to ensure the supply of necessary materials, such as sandbags.

The state secretary said the force majeure fund will cover the localities’ flood protection costs.

Read more and the latest news about floods in Hungary here.

• read also: Flood alert disrupts international train services, trains between Budapest and Vienna cancelled