Czech news in brief for December 24: Sunday's top headlines

The Czech Republic braces for extended windy conditions over the holidays, with wind speeds of up to 70 kilometers per hour persisting until Monday morning, particularly impacting Bohemia, north Moravia, and Silesia. The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute has issued a warning for high winds through tomorrow morning.

The westerly winds are expected to gradually weaken by Monday evening. Simultaneously, a nationwide alert remains in place for rising river and stream levels, driven by a combination of rainfall, snowmelt, and saturated soil. The Karlovy Vary and Ústí nad Labem regions face the greatest flood risk.

Karlovy Vary firefighters rescued five people trapped in a garden colony as the Ohře River surged today. The residents, facing rising waters in their cottages, urgently sought help, leading to a swift response. Firefighters employed a boat to evacuate the stranded individuals, including one visually impaired person. City police transported them to safety, coordinated by the Salvation Army.

The Karlovy Vary region grapples with elevated flood levels caused by rain and melting snow. Despite ongoing challenges, meteorologists express optimism, anticipating a favorable outlook with a potential culmination in the current flood situation. In Plzeň, firefighters were called to numerous interventions, addressing technical challenges.

December 24 is celebrated as Christmas Day in the Czech Republic, as Christians mark the arrival of Jesus Christ. Celebrations include festive dinners and the eagerly anticipated distribution of gifts by Baby Jesus. Evening church visits and midnight services draw even non-regular churchgoers.

Larger shops close at noon by law, with exceptions for smaller stores, railway stations, airports, pharmacies, and gas stations. Rooted in ancient winter solstice festivities, Christmas traditions in Czechia have evolved from predicting harvests to the modern era's festive trees adorned with candy and gifts.

Tragedy struck in Prague's Zbraslav district this morning as a fire engulfed a hostel, claiming one life and leaving 17 injured, including three police officers. Emergency services treated 17 individuals on-site, with two hospitalized. Firefighters continue efforts to dismantle the building's roof structure.

Among the 15 occupants and seven pets in the facility during the incident, one person was found dead in the room hardest hit by the fire. Prague Emergency Services deployed four crews, along with a special evacuation vehicle, while Samaritans from the Czech Republic also assisted. The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

Unrelenting strong winds and snowfall have left tens of thousands of households in the Czech Republic without power, disrupting the Christmas holidays. Power company ČEZ reported 28,000 affected households, with half in the Ústí nad Labem region. EG.D reported 8,200 clients without power, primarily in the south.

Repair efforts are underway, but inclement weather conditions pose challenges, with ČEZ dealing with 60 faults on high-voltage lines and numerous low-voltage issues. Fallen branches and trees, a result of the inclement weather, were cited as the primary causes for the disruptions. Meteorologists forecast continued windy weather through Christmas Eve and both holidays, accompanied by heavy snowfall.

Following Thursday's tragic shooting at Charles University's Faculty of Arts in Prague, the Czech community has rallied, donating over 38 million crowns to aid victims and their families. The Charles University Endowment Fund collected nearly 33.2 million crowns itself from 29,000 contributors, with Prague City Hall pledging an additional five million.

Additionally, the Znesnáze21 collection has received almost CZK 4.8 million, directed toward psychological and material assistance, recovery, and physiotherapy for the injured. Masaryk University in Brno organized a solidarity fund, receiving CZK 487,000 crowns from 662 donors. The government declared a state mourning on Saturday for the victims of this unprecedented attack.

Severe wind and snowfall persist throughout the Czech Republic, causing significant disruptions to power supplies, especially in South Bohemia. Energy company E.GD reports 4,300 clients without electricity out of the initially 41,000 affected in the morning. Fallen branches and trees on power lines are identified as the primary cause of outages.

The challenging weather conditions also impact road and railway traffic nationwide. Meteorologists predict the continuation of windy weather on Christmas Eve and throughout the Christmas holidays, accompanied by heavy snowfall in the northeastern regions and the Ore Mountains. Swelling rivers pose flood risks, reaching potentially the highest level in some areas.

Musicians performed a traditional rendition of Jakub Jan Ryba's Czech Christmas Mass at Prague's main railway station on Saturday, which also included a poignant tribute to the victims of the tragic shooting at Charles University's Faculty of Arts. This year's rendition included Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Lacrimos and Prayer for Marta.

A minute of silence followed Mozart's Lacrimosa in remembrance of the 14 victims. The event, known as Rybovka na hlavák, marked its twenty-first year and aimed to defy fear and unite the community. State flags flew at half-mast across the country, and various cities altered cultural events in solidarity with the mourning period.

A powerful gust of wind early this morning toppled the Christmas tree in Karlovy Vary near the Thermal Hotel. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The tree, weighed down by snow and rain, succumbed to the combination of extreme weather conditions, its dense structure, and the added pressure from decorations.

Stanislav Dvořák, director of Spa Forests and Parks of Karlovy Vary, explained that the incident resembled a natural fall due to the tree's susceptibility. The city plans to inspect and reinstall the tree, shortening it by about two meters. Despite the setback, Mayor Andrea Pfeffer Ferklová assures the city center will still be ready for Christmas. The tree, a 70-year-old silver spruce gifted by a family from Chranišov, was ceremonially lit on December 3.

Pope Francis has appointed Stanislav Přibyl, the current Secretary-General of the Czech Bishops Conference, as the new Bishop of Litoměřice. The announcement was made at St. Stephen Cathedral in Litoměřice, where a minute of silence was observed for the victims of the recent shooting at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University in Prague.

Přibyl, a doctoral student at the Faculty of Arts, expressed his close connection to the tragedy. He emphasized community, participation, and mission as core values he aims to develop. Přibyl will assume office on March 2, 2024. The Litoměřice diocese, established in 1655, is the smallest in the Czech Republic in terms of believers.