Povoden stoleti - the flood of the century |
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| Nobody, but then really nobody, would one week before think that such a catastrofe concerning
the golden city would come. The photos speak themselves (klik hier). |
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| Thousands of people have been evacuated, the streets stand full of water. My favorite hotel Opera is
inaccessible, therefore I sit at home in Veltrusy. Water here also stands up to 75 meters of my house. I have
sent Lenka and the children to the grandparents. The city of Kralupy stands also under water and it is not
to reach...
The whole day transmits the national TV pictures and information about the calamity which plagues this
country at present. |
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| Vltava river springs in the south of the country, near the border with Austria. At the beginning of last
week the lakes which should absorb the rain water, became full (the lake of Lipno and several other lakes).
The first flood found the cities Cesky Krumlov and Ceske Budejovice. Here had hundreds of people the leave
their houses and here fell also the first victims.
Last week Thursday the level of water in Prague increased so there was already no more shipping possible.
Friday and Saturday came water more and more higher. Sunday I have been in Prague for the last time. Then
everything seemed still to be under control. We had welcome a group of "senior scouts" to indicate the way
and the possibilities for a pleasant stay in the surroundings of the splendid city. |
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| Monday it poured and it did not stop. By means of radio and TV we saw the pictures of floodedded cities
in the south of the country and then everyone already knew for sure that this was also on the way to Prague.
Sunday morning the camp-site in Veltrusy had already overflowed and the the park around the castle was
already under water. The centre of the city Kralupy became inaccessible (no longer also by train).
As bridges could be seriously damaged by the big ships, it was decided to sink these ships by means of
dynamite. |
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| But water continued in increasing. I have helped with filling pockets with sand to stop the water at the
beginning of our village. Some lower places already disappeared. I have reassured my mother and have said
that our house lies higher. She is 91 years and cannot imagine that this happens here. Czechia does not lie
by the sea. Sounds logically but it is all this way different.
Also I have been persuaded by this that the climate clearly changed. Icebergs melt and we still warm
the world. Greenpeace has, in my eyes, for years right when it warns for dangerous expel of CO2 (among other
things). The impact of this climate change is no longer to overlook.
Of course there are no dikes in Czechia, not like in the Netherlands. Czechia did not learn to handle this
type of natural disasters. |
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| And now water slowly goes away from the capital city. Very slowly. They have said that the underground
railway in the city cannot be used probably weeks. Underground stations stand entirely under water in the
centre.
A lot of people will heavily feel the calamity by financial way. This will also bring individuals who
cannot return soon in their houses to think what about the future. Many of them have saved money for years
to buy colour television and that modern refrigerator. Probably those will not get, however being insured
for this calamity, their money, because the insurance companies are by far able to fill such big amounts.
So those people sit together in the pub near their formal address. They drink their beer and shake their
shoulders when you ask them how it will be further. They do not cry, just like former they must go further.
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| And that succeeds also. I am convinced of it.
I have promised them that we - Dutch - will not stay away from this beautiful country and that we will
take part on the quick progress. They have here no TV programmes such as open the village for Africa.
In this we are strong. It is perhaps something for Linda de Mol or our pregnant Wendy van Dijk.
However, I will see. I will sit by them and wait untill the water will fall.
Sjors Lemberk |
