Czech President Intervenes to Repair Infrastructure After Floods

Czech President Petr Pavel has urged government members to meet with the mayors of cities and heads of regions affected by the floods that swept through the country, to have a serious discussion on how to provide substantial aid to the people, “because the budgets being considered today will not cover the damage,” according to Czech media.

During his visit on Wednesday to the most affected cities, including Jeseník, Krnov, Bohumín, Mikulovice, and Opava, Pavel stated that the restoration and reconstruction of the damaged infrastructure would take several months, or rather years.

These cities were almost completely submerged by the floods, and firefighters along with the army had to evacuate more than 10,000 citizens, many of whom lost their homes either partially or entirely.

According to the Czech President, the damaged houses need to be demolished quickly, but if mayors follow the current regulations, the work will take a long time.

After speaking with local authorities, the president added that the city leaders will support simplifying the tender procedures for suppliers.

Between September 13 and 18, continuous rains fell across almost the entire Czech Republic, leading to a sharp rise in water levels in rivers and other water bodies, causing floods in several towns, especially in the northeast of the country. Nearly 20,000 people were evacuated from their homes.