Czech news in brief for September 14: Saturday's top headlines

The Czech Army remains on standby amid the ongoing floods, with all Integrated Rescue System units, the 15th Engineer Regiment, air force assets, and military firefighters ready for deployment, Defense Minister Jana Černochová said this afternoon. While the army has only intervened in Strakonice so far, it is prepared for wider action. Crisis staff will meet tonight to assess the situation. States of danger have been declared in Olomouc and Moravia-Silesia.

Moravian-Silesian Governor Josef Bělica declared a state of danger in the region due to ongoing floods this afternoon. Heavy rains continue to affect the region, where water flow may surpass 100-year flood levels. The state of danger, the lowest of four crisis levels followed by a state of emergency, allows for measures such as evacuations and military deployment. The Central Crisis Staff may meet tonight at 8 p.m.

Czech mobile operators are reporting signal outages in dozens of locations, particularly in northern and southeastern Bohemia. Issues affecting Trutnov, the Krkonoše Mountains, the Ore Mountains, and Šumava are due to interrupted power supplies following heavy rain and high winds. Operators, including Vodafone, T-Mobile, and O2, have deployed backup batteries and diesel generators to minimize disruptions in service.

The dry soil in the Czech Republic has become nearly saturated after recent heavy rains, with dams now crucial for flood management, reports Intersucho on X. Intense rains have swollen rivers across the country, with soil no longer able to absorb additional water. To prepare, workers cleared reservoir spaces, increasing their capacity from 751 million cubic meters to nearly 879 million cubic meters. The Central Flood Commission will assess the situation based on current conditions.

In his address at the NATO Military Committee meeting in Prague, President Petr Pavel emphasized that global conflicts are shifting from East vs. West to democracy vs. autocracy. He highlighted that traditional adversaries like Russia, as well as nations such as China, North Korea, and Iran, challenge democratic values. Pavel called for bold and clear recommendations from NATO chiefs to ensure political understanding. He praised NATO for its unity and role as a stabilizing force, noting this is the first time the committee has met in the Czech Republic.

At the NATO Military Committee meeting in Prague on Saturday, Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces Karel Řehka stated that spending 2 percent of GDP on defense will not be sufficient in the future due to increasing challenges. NATO agreed on this spending level in 2014, and the Czech Republic will meet it for the first time this year. Řehka emphasized the need for comprehensive defense, including cyber capabilities and support for Ukraine amidst evolving threats like hybrid tactics and terrorism.

Several areas of the Czech Republic face extreme flood risks, with elevated flood warnings reported at 145 locations as of 6:30 a.m., according to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute. Areas including Frýdlant, Jeseníky, Bruntál, Karviná, and southern Bohemia are most at risk. Heavy rainfall, ranging from 25 to 171 millimeters, has elevated river levels, particularly in the Jeseníky, Krkonoše, and Jizera Mountains, raising concerns of further flooding. Meteorologists warn that river levels will continue to rise in many areas.

More than 63,000 households across the Czech Republic are without electricity this morning due to heavy rain and high winds. The hardest-hit areas are in northern Bohemia, with the Ústí Region reporting over 20,000 outages, while 13,000 households in Liberec and Králové-Hradec regions remain affected. Energy companies ČEZ and E.ON are working to resolve issues, with outages also reported in southern Bohemia, Vysočín, and southern Moravia.

Train operations were halted on about ten routes across the Czech Republic this morning due to fallen trees and adverse weather conditions. Railway firefighters responded to 28 incidents since Friday evening, primarily in Liberec and Královéhradec regions, with no injuries reported. Five trains collided with trees, and fallen or leaning trees were removed in 18 cases. Heavy rainfall has raised river levels, while strong winds continue to disrupt rail services, according to Správa železnic spokesperson Martin Kavka.

The NATO Military Committee off-site meeting in Prague continues today, with speeches from Czech President Petr Pavel, committee chair Rob Bauer, and Czech Chief of General Staff Karel Řehka. This is the first time Czechia has hosted the chiefs of staff from NATO member states, with around 350 foreign guests attending. Discussions will focus on European security, NATO's defense plans, and the implementation of conclusions from the July NATO summit. A press conference will be held later to summarize the talks.

A two-day stamp auction begins today at Burda Auction in Prague, featuring over 3,500 items with starting prices exceeding CZK 23 million. Highlights include the rare misprint with a starting price of CZK 2 million and a block of the world's first stamps, Two Pence Blue, starting at CZK 1.95 million. The auction will also feature global stamps, numismatic items, and autographs, with special collections from Czech and German exhibitors.