Flood alarm in Central and Eastern Europe

Authorities in parts of Central and Eastern Europe have issued disaster warnings as heavy rain has caused flooding that left several people dead or missing.


As regional correspondent Stefan Bos reports, the situation seems especially serious in the Czech Republic...

Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas said already "200 soldiers have been deployed so far" to help local authorities in the capital Prague and other areas.

Rescue workers scrambled to reinforce flood defenses in Prague. Fire fighters and security forces could be seen seen erecting metal walls along the Vltava river to prevent this city of 1.3 million people from flooding.


They also began evacuating Prague's Francis Hospital and other sites following a new heavy downpour in the city and across the nation.


MASSIVE EVACUATIONS FEARED

Authorities warned thousands of people could be forced to evacuate in Prague and Interim Mayor Tomas Hudecek said parts of the capital's crucial subway system may be closed.


Elsewhere in the country, including in the northern town of Hostinne,rescuers used helicopters to save local people.


But for some help came to late. Among them was a woman in Trebenice, near Prague, who was reportedly found dead in the rubble after a summer cottage collapsed due to the raging water.


In Germany, where at least four people have died or are missing, Chancellor Angela Merkel promised federal support for affected areas and said the army would be deployed if necessary.

GERMAN CITIES IMPACTED

Several cities including Chemnitz in the east, and Passau and Rosenheim in the south, issued disaster warnings.

Officials said Passau, which is located at the confluence of three rivers, could see waters rise above record level 2002.

Large stretches of the Rhine, Main and Neckar rivers have been closed to ship traffic. Evacuations are also taking place in neighboring Austria and Switzerland.


Meteorologists were predicting the rainfall will ease in the coming days, but that announcement did little to ease rescue workers battling the rising rivers.

It comes at a time of concerns about ailing infrastructure in especially Eastern Europe, which has seen heavy flooding in the past.