Hungary (5) -- Analyses-- April-June 2006

Hungary - state of emergency

12.04.2006

The biggest Hungarian flood since records began has been predicted by experts, with the possibility that up to 25% of Hungary could be flooded. Some 3,080 kilometers of waterways are already under flood alert and 496 kilometers on a level three alert. The statement was supported by Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany, who issued a nationwide emergency alert on the flood situation on Monday (Apr 3) afternoon at the suggestion of the Government Coordination Committee. "In Budapest a flood alert had to be issued, as the Danube level is expected to rise to 848cm, which will exceed even the record numbers of 2002," Gyula Reich, spokesman for the National Technical Management Corps (OMIT) told The Budapest Sun. Hungary's two major rivers, the Danube and Tisza, along with most of their tributaries, are rapidly swelling, as warm weather has triggered sudden snow melt in the catchment areas of the rivers. Szentendre, just north of Budapest, and the capital's Margaret and HajUgyari islands have been closed off. "Szentendre may be reached only by boat or helicopter, but Esztergom and Tat in north Hungary are in the most risky situation, with water levels expected to rise further," Tibor Dobson, spokesperson at the National Disaster Management Unit told state news agency MTI. According to OMIT, 11,000 people - flood defense workers, local government staff, fire fighters and the Hungarian Defense Forces - are currently trying to manage the crisis. In Budapest, City Mayor Gabor Demszky re-issued an appeal to residents to join in efforts to build a five-kilometer-long dike and predicted on Saturday (Apr 1), "The next three days are going to be tough for Budapest." Together with Demszky, the Prime Minister, accompanied by several young MSzP (Socialist) activists, joined flood defense volunteers on Margaret Island to fill up sandbags after the major election rally on Apr 1 . At a press conference on Monday (Apr 3), Gyurcsany and Budapest Transport Authority (BKV) chairman Botond Aba announced that 8-10 liters of water per second are entering the Batthyany ter underpass, but claimed that it will not break from the pressure. Environment Minister MiklUs Persanyi told MTI that, in the space of 24 hours, damage has resulted in Ft200 million ($919,000) needing to be spent on flood defenses. Some Ft36m ($164,000) has already been spent on fighting high ground waters. According to online news portal Index, so far 458 people have had to be evacuated from 52 settlements. While the Environment Ministry claims that the flood situation will ease only in a month's time after the water level has dropped, experts hope that, with milder temperatures and less rain, the current protection program being implemented will hold.

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