Related articles

Clean up work is underway in many parts of the Czech Republic following a week of heavy flooding. Emergency crews are working on the Znojmo dam which has become jammed with driftwood. Their work is complicated by muddy embankments which make it difficult to position heavy machinery. Meteorologists predict more rain and snow showers in the first half of the week, which could send water levels up again.

Clean up work is underway in many parts of the Czech Republic following a week of heavy flooding. As the waters recede individual municipalities are assessing the degree of flood damage. Among the first to make known a specific figure is the culture ministry which said on Saturday that the estimated damage to national monuments would amount to approximately 10 million crowns. The Terezin Memorial, the site of a Nazi concentration camp during the Second World War, was damaged in the floods as were several churches, castles and chateaux.

Are you desperate to lose weight? Try the frog diet! Ten kilos off in four days guaranteed. Five mayors change places for a day. And, want to get the better of pick-pockets? Try the "screaming" credit card! Find out more in Magazine with Daniela Lazarova.

The Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament, Lubomir Zaoralek, has declared a state of legislative emergency from April 6 until April 28. The measure was proposed by the government to allow for the quick passing of laws necessary to free finances for flood relief. Instead of in several months, such laws could now be passed in just one day.

The Czech Hydro-Meteorological Institute has called off a flood alert which was supposed to last until Friday evening. The situation in much of the flood affected areas in the Czech Republic is calming down as most swollen rivers have begun to recede. People have started returning to their homes, though more heavy rain has been forecast for the end of the week. The number of reported flood-related deaths reached seven on Wednesday when the body of a six-year old boy, who had been missing since Sunday, was found in a river.

Cabinet, on Wednesday, approved a proposal to raise this year's state budget by 5 billion crowns (over 200 million US dollars) to pay for damages caused by the floods. The government is also considering the creation of a 10 to 15 billion crown fund from which flood defence measures as well as the acquisition of flood damaged buildings would be financed. The Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament, Lubomir Zaoralek, said he may declare a state of legislative emergency to allow for the quick passing of laws necessary to free finances for flood relief.

Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency in the first half of this year, has said he would raise the question of possible financial aid from the European Union Solidarity Fund. Some political parties in the Czech Republic have decided to cut back on their election campaign expenditures and donate the money to flood victims. Charity organizations have also opened up accounts for public donations.

The situation in much of the flood affected areas in the Czech Republic is calming down as most swollen rivers have begun to recede. People are starting to return to their homes. Water levels in the badly hit northern region around Usti nad Labem are no longer rising but the homes of 1,645 residents are still flooded and dozens of roads remain closed. A state of emergency declared in seven of the country's 14 regions has been extended until April 19.

The Environment Ministry says Wednesday's rain should not lead to more flooding. Economists estimate the flood damage this year to be considerably lower than that seen in 1997 and 2002, though accurate figures will have to wait until the flood waters recede completely. Seven flood-related deaths have already been reported.

Flood waters in the Czech Republic are slowly but surely receding and though some areas are still underwater, the focus has now switched from crisis management, to rebuilding and reconstruction efforts. With thousands of people having been evacuated and dozens of municipalities inundated, the cost of returning to normal life is bound to be substantial. Where the money will come from and where it will go is something that Radio Prague's Yon Pulkrabek looked into. He joins us in the studio now.

After a week of severe flooding, most of the swollen rivers in the Czech Republic have either stabilised or begun to recede. Though people have begun returning to their homes in many parts of the country, there are fears of more flooding, with heavy rains expected on Wednesday.

A state of emergency has been declared in seven of the country's 14 regions; it will remain in place until next Monday.

Economists say the damage caused by this year's floods will be considerably lower than that seen in 1997 and 2002, though accurate estimates will have to wait until the flood waters recede completely. The Czech Republic's European commissioner, Vladimir Spidla, has said he will raise the question of possible financial aid from the European Union Solidarity Fund at the Commission.

It appears after a week of floods in the Czech Republic the worst is probably over and water levels on swollen rivers have stabilised and even, in some places, gone down.