“The Most Challenging Phase of Flood Protection has Begun”

The most serious and difficult phase of the protection has begun. At dawn today, the highest water level of the flood wave is expected to have been reached, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced this morning.

This is the most difficult period for protection, and we expect the highest water level to leave Hungary on Thursday next week, said the Prime Minister. According to the weather forecasters, there will be no rain next week, therefore the highest water level is known and there is no need to protect against higher levels, unless the weather forecasters are wrong.

It is estimated that the maximum water level will be 40 centimeters lower than during the flood of 2013 in Budapest, however a a long-lasting flood wave should be prepared for, and a third level alert will be in effect for a long time on the affected rivers.

According to István Láng, head of the General Directorate of Water Management, protection works have started in all affected municipalities, they are 20-50 percent complete and will be successfully completed by the time the peak water levels are reached. A further 298 staff have been redeployed to the 1,500 kilometers of protection line. To protect the state, 2 million sandbags have been reallocated and more than 1 million sandbags have been provided to municipalities, he added.

Gabriella Siklós, spokeswoman for the General Directorate of Water Management noted that “the Danube usually takes 5-8 days to subside, but now we have to expect a longer time.”If there is no more rain, the melting snow in the Alps will still provide supplies, she added.

The situation near the Lajta (Leitha) is critical. Yesterday, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has given the go-ahead for the opening of the emergency reservoir between the main Lajta riverbed and the left canal.

Professional soldiers and territorial defense reservists are present at twelve locations, Defense Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky stressed. The minister noted that they were out on the levees all day, starting Tuesday with 144 people. He added that they were present in 12 locations, in Mosonmagyaróvár (northwestern Hungary), Neszmély, Esztergom, Pilismarót, Szob, Zebegény, Kismaros, Verőce (all in northern Hungary), Vác, Dunabogdány, Leányfalu and Szentendre, as well as in Budakalász (all near Budapest).

“The process is being carried out in a planned, calm and calm manner,” emphasized Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, adding that the Defense Forces are deployed in the defined locations, usually where the problems are greatest.

He also underlined that

they also made use of the H145M helicopter, taking aerial photographs, examining the flow of the tide and assisting as a reconnaissance helicopter to carry out the task accurately.

In addition to soldiers, thousands of secondary and higher education students are helping to protect the area from flooding, the Minister for Culture and Innovation highlighted. Balázs Hankó said that “we have strong young people who are ready to help in any situation where they are needed; we are in a situation where everyone’s cooperation is needed”.

The politician thanked the National Conference of Student Self-Governments, with which they are organizing joint relief actions, not for the first time. He announced that thousands of young people would be mobilized in the coming days to help flood protection along the Danube. He added that “volunteer credits” will be given to participants.

Via MTI; Featured image via MTI/Balogh Zoltán