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Precipitation in Northern Bohemia for 2010 looks set to break a record of nearly 30 years. According to the Czech Meteorological Institute, precipitation in the town of Liberec has already exceeded anything they have on record, with more than 1,100 litres of water per square metre having fallen so far this year, or as much as in the wettest year since 1939. July, August and September all were record-breaking months, bringing flooding and billions of crowns in damages.

Water levels have begun receding in the north of the country where a number of rivers broke their banks on Tuesday following days of heavy rain. Several dozen people who were evacuated from their homes are gradually returning to deal with the damage. Insurance companies say they are prepared to process new claims, despite the fact that it is less than two months since northern parts of the country were heavily flooded. Many towns and villages in the region remain on flood alert in view of more rain forecast in the coming days.

Rivers have been rising in north, central and eastern Bohemia after days of heavy rainfall. The highest level of flood alert is in effect in several places, while two dozen people were evacuated from their homes in Višňov in north Bohemia. A benefit event to raise money for schools damaged in nearby Frýdlant in flooding in the area at the start of August was called off. Forecasters say it should rain every day for the next week.

The Czech weather office has issued flood warnings for the northern regions of Liberec and Ústí following heavy rainfall over the weekend. The regions were worst hit during severe floods at the start of August. The highest, third category, flood level has been reached at one point with many rivers in the regions at the second level of flood risk. In the south of the country at Moravský Krumlov the river there is also only one level below posing an extreme threat of flooding. The hydrometeorological institute says flood warnings should remain in place until Wednesday when water levels are expected to subside.

The region of Ústí nad Labem has calculated damages from August floods at nearly two billion crowns, or almost two times the amount first estimated immediately after the disaster. Damages to bridges, roads and railways alone are estimated at 1.3 billion crowns, while water management infrastructure requires 450 million in repairs. The majority of damaged roads are in the area of Děčín, which is eligible for state subsidies of up to 90% of damage costs because a state of emergency was promptly declared there. Flash floods on August 7 left 1534 buildings inundated, destroyed 145 bridges and damaged 87 roads.

A state of emergency following last month’s flash floods in the region of Liberec ends at midnight Sunday night. Record levels of rainfall left 79 communities in the region severely inundated. Five people were killed and damages have been calculated at 5.4 billion crowns and rising. Most of the material damages have now been eliminated, most of the roads in the region are open again and the army has built a number of temporary bridges; seven bridges were destroyed in the flooding while another 112 were damaged.

Heavy overnight rain in northern Moravia and Silesia led to flood alerts being declared along many rivers late on Tuesday. Fire fighters were called out on around 160 incidents. By Wednesday morning the worst affected locality was on the Olše river at Český Těšín where a level three flood warning applied until the early afternoon. The local crisis committee has convened there but evacuations have so far been avoided. The national weather office predicts that most heavy rainfall should die out during the day but there could still be heavy falls on the Beskydy mountains.

The Ministry of Finance has tabled its budget proposal for 2011 with an extra 127.7 billion crown provision to cover the flood damages at the start of August. The planed budget deficit of 135 billion crowns has been retained with both spending and income boosted by the allotted amount. After much haggling, the Czech government has agreed in principle that a special flood tax will be levied next year as a one off measure only. The ministry’s budget proposal, which still has to be approved by the government and lower house of parliament, counts on expected economic growth of 2.3 percent next year.

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute has lifted its flood alerts for the regions of Liberec and Ústí nad Labem in north Bohemia. The institute issued the warning on Friday fearing heavy rain could result in local rivers reaching the first or second level flood danger. Level three indicates danger or extreme danger of flooding. Now, only showers are predicted for the areas with rivers only rising because of previous heavy rain. Both regions are still recovering from devastating flash floods just three weeks ago which caused around 6.0 billion crowns in damage and claimed at least five lives.

Prime Minister Petr Nečas has told flood stricken farmers that payments to them will be speeded up in a bid to help them recover. Speaking at an international farmers’ fair in the south Bohemian city of České Budějovice on Saturday, the prime minister said that state payments to farmers would be prioritised. He also said demands for rental payments by the state land office could be postponed for up to a year. The Ministry of Agriculture already made a similar pledge concerning payments for land bought from the state.