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Record-setting flooding in central Europe, responsible for
scattering river ships and the cancellation of dozens of sailings, has left
numerous cities with days (if not weeks) of cleanup ahead of them.
Major tourist attractions, such as the Charles Bridge in Prague,
remain closed to visitors. While the worst is over in Prague and Passau, other
cities, including Dresden, are awaiting the worst.
The flooding has been a problem on most of central Europe's rivers but has been
particularly bad on the Danube, Main and Elbe rivers -- all of which are
important to the European river cruising industry.
Here's a roundup of some of the most important river cruise port cities and how
they have been affected:
Danube
Bratislava: People in the Slovakian city of Bratislava are
awaiting the worst of the Danube flooding, which burst its banks today. Despite
a state of emergency being declared, the river is not expected to go past the
flood barriers.
Budapest: The Hungarian capital is bracing itself for the
floodwaters, which are just now beginning to reach the city and are expected to
crest June 10. Already, the river has overflowed its banks, flooded roads and is
creeping slowly toward the Hungarian parliament building. The full length of
both sides of the lower Danube embankments are closed, tourists in hotels on
Margaret Island, a park in the middle of the river, have been evacuated and all
public boat transportation is shut down.
Melk: People were evacuated from the city center June 2 after
parts of the historic section of the Austrian town flooded. But waters are
beginning to recede, and the city's most picturesque attraction, the Melk Abbey,
is undamaged.
Passau: The city of Passau experienced its worst flooding in 500
years and is only now beginning to dig out from under mounds of mud, silt and
river debris. The extent of the damage to the German city is unclear.
Vienna: The river overflowed the banks and streets, and
restaurants and shops flooded, but Vienna was not as badly affected as many
other cities because of a special floodgate system. At the height of the
flooding, which crested June 5, the docks for cruise ships were completely under
water and the highway to the airport was under water. Most of the Austrian city
was inaccessible by foot and electricity was shut down.
Elbe
Dresden: The Elbe is expected to crest in Dresden sometime today
(June 6), and hundreds of people have been evacuated in preparation for the
flooding. Authorities do not expect the floodwaters to reach the old German
town.
Meissen: Many of the streets in this small historic German city
are already under several feet of water. Some 4,500 people have been evacuated.
Prague: Although the Elbe crested its banks and waters are
receding, many of Prague's major tourist attractions remain closed including the
Charles Bridge, Franz Kafka Museum, Kampa Museum and Czech Museum of Music.
Among the areas evacuated included the town of Terezin (also known as
Theresienstadt), a former Nazi concentration camp. Additionally, Prague's sewage
treatment plant was shut down for several days; clean-up, therefore, will
include ridding flooded areas of sewage debris. |
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Plantation, FL 33324 - USA
Tel: +1 954 452 8800 Fax: +1 954
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