Floods threaten Dresden as Prague river levels fall

Footage shows the extent of devastating floods in the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland - Wendy Urquhart reports

Continue reading the main story

Related Stories

• Prague flood defences put to test
• In pictures: Central European floods
• Fatal floods hit central Europe

Cities in southern and eastern Germany are on high alert as heavy floodwaters swell rivers including the Elbe.

In Halle, an appeal has gone out to residents to help reinforce flood defences while Dresden is preparing for water levels 5m higher than normal.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has promised 100m euros (£78m; $130m) in emergency aid for flood-hit areas.

Meanwhile, river levels in Prague have begun to fall, say the Czech authorities, as floodwaters move north.

Overnight, flood barriers on the River Vltava in the south of the country were raised, releasing a torrent of water.

However, Prague's flood defences appear to have held, and the risk of severe flooding in the city centre seems to be receding, says the BBC's correspondent there, Rob Cameron.

Water levels rise

The city of Regensburg has declared a state of emergency, while in the state of Saxony-Anhalt - which includes Dresden - officials were warning of higher water levels than during the record floods of 2002.

At least seven people have died in the Czech Republic and two in Austria after days of heavy rain.

Germany has drafted in the army to help with flood defences.

In the Bavarian town of Passau, floodwaters reached a level not seen since the 16th Century, but have now begun to recede.

Chancellor Angela Merkel visited the worst affected regions on Tuesday, flying over Bavaria, Saxony and Thuringia by helicopter.

She promised 100m euros in immediate aid, of which 50m euros will go to Bavaria.

Continue reading the main story

Analysis

Christian FraserBBC News, Czech Republic

In the industrial city of Usti nad Labem there's nothing more to do but wait. The houses along the riverbank have already been evacuated.

New metal flood barriers were hurriedly erected on Monday. They have sandbagged the most vulnerable areas - though it's more in hope than in any real anticipation their efforts will hold back the waters.

The Elbe has been rising since Monday lunchtime and the decision to open the flood dams on the Vltava River overnight will have implications. The authorities in Usti nad Labem expect the water to rise several metres higher through the day.

This morning roads that we used to get into the city centre are now completely under water and impassable. Further downstream the village of Hrensko which sits in a valley on the River Elbe has been completely evacuated. Tens of thousands of people in the Czech Republic are now sitting it out in shelters.

On Monday the authorities were confident they had avoided a repeat of the worst flooding in 2002. Now they are not so sure. It is still raining here and the hillsides are saturated.