Adverse weather conditions are causing widespread transportation disruptions across Czechia, with firefighters responding to an increasing number of incidents.
On Friday, Czech firefighters were called out over 1,700 times, mostly to clear fallen trees blocking roads and streams, which are also affecting railway traffic. In several areas, transportation has been halted. The Czech Fire Rescue Service (HZS ČR) and Czech Railways shared updates on social media, confirming the extent of the situation.
“As of 6:00 PM on September 13, we have recorded 1,736 incidents, of which 1,398 involved technical assistance,” the fire department explained. “This primarily includes clearing trees from roads and streambeds, distributing sandbags at the request of local authorities, and pumping water.”
Firefighters also issued warnings against attempting to navigate the swollen rivers, labeling it as life-threatening. “Unfortunately, we’ve already seen such dangerous cases today,” added HZS ČR.
The stormy weather has also disrupted train services, with numerous rail lines being blocked by fallen trees across the country. Despite the difficulties, Czech Railways reported that they have managed to arrange replacement bus services for affected routes.
In response to the rising water levels, Czech Minister of Agriculture Marek Výborný shared on social media that the Elbe River at the Labská waterworks had surpassed the third flood warning level. “The Elbe River Basin Authority will continue releasing water from the reservoir as long as possible, aiming to reserve as much space as we can for the incoming rainfall,” he explained.
The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ) reported that since Wednesday evening, some mountainous areas such as the Krkonoše and Orlické mountains have received around 100 millimeters of rainfall. Similar levels have been recorded in Pardubice, South Moravia, and Zlín.
Rain is expected to continue, with forecasts from the Aladin model predicting rainfall totals of more than 200 millimeters by Monday night in the northern mountains from Jizerské through Krkonoše and Orlické hory to Jeseníky. Some areas could even exceed 300 millimeters of rainfall, according to the ČHMÚ.
