Thousands to evacuate as Czech flood waters rise

PRAGUE - More than 10,000 Czechs will have to evacuate their homes in the southern Moravian region to avoid rising flood waters that follow heavy rains and melting snow, officials said late on Wednesday.

They said residents living along the Dyje River near the town of Znojmo, some 200km southeast of Prague, had until 7am (6pm NZT) on Thursday to leave the area.

Regional Governor Stanislav Juranek said firemen and others were helping in the evacuation.

Rivers across the central European country have been rising fast due to rain and unusually warm weather, which melted deep snow that fell over the winter. Many other areas may also be forced to evacuate residents, government officials have said.

The rising water levels have brought back memories of dramatic flooding in the summer of 2002, one of the country's worst disasters on record.

Seventeen people were killed then and some 200,000 were forced out of their homes, while billions of dollars worth of damage was done.

Earlier this week authorities in Prague reinforced retaining walls along the banks of the Vltava River to protect ancient districts in the historic centre.

Chemicals producer Spolana, part of Unipetrol group, decided on Wednesday to halt production of plastics and other chemicals due to warnings that flooding may hit the plant, located just north of Prague.

- REUTERS