Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Friday visited sites along the River Danube at the border of Budapest and Pest County to check flood protection preparations after recent heavy rains, his press chief said.
Bertalan Havasi said Orbán had been briefed by water management experts and Energy Ministry officials in charge of flood protection about projected water levels and necessary measures for the whole of Hungary.
Hungarian army prepared for flood protection, says minister
The Hungarian army stands ready to help with flood protection operations if need be, Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky, the defence minister, said on Friday. According to the meteorological services, heavy rains between 50-220 millimetres are expected to trigger floods on the Danube, Mura, Lajta and Raba rivers in Hungary, Austria and Czechia over the next couple of days.
The army’s units assigned to participate in flood defence were put on alert and started conducting drills on Friday morning and the necessary communication channels with regional defence committees have been activated, defence minister said in a statement.
We’re prepared, says Orbán in a Facebook post:
It cited army chief Gábor Böröndi as saying that in line with the disaster management action plan, the army was ready to respond fast and effectively contribute to flood protection operations by ensuring personnel and technical conditions.
“Our resources including land and areal technical equipment will provide for the public’s protection,” he said.
Flood alert issued for Budapest
Based on forecasts by the national water-level service, Gergely Karácsony, the mayor of Budapest, has issued a second-degree flood alert along all flood protection sections of the River Danube in the capital, the mayor’s office said on Friday. The lower embankment of the Danube is expected to be closed to traffic from next Monday, the statement said. Starting from midnight on Friday, parking will be prohibited in the area, it added.
The Danube’s water level is expected to peak at around 8 metres in the second half of next week, the statement said.
Weather forecast for Saturday
Generally overcast and rainy with stormy winds in places. Lows: 6, 13 °C. Highs: 10, 17 °C.
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