Czech news in brief for September 18: Wednesday's top headlines

Czech police have reported that a 70-year-old woman from the town of Jesenik (Olomouc) was found dead this afternoon, making her the fourth victim of the current floods in Moravia. Three others from Moravia-Silesia Region were also killed. The woman was evacuated on Saturday, but returned home on Sunday and went missing. Police searched for her after the water receded. Police are still searching for three other people – two men and a woman – all passengers of a car that was swept away by the current.

Interior Minister Vít Rakušan today announced that out of the 6,250 municipalities and 14,000 constituencies in the Czech Republic, 35 flooded municipalities – representing 200 constituencies – will receive assistance from the state for the upcoming regional and Senate elections. The number may decrease in some areas where local authorities will handle the security themselves. Rakušan also stated that in addition to material aid, all affected municipalities will receive electricity supplies. Elections take place in late September.

The District Court of Karviná today released Jaromír Lukeš from prison – the criminal had been serving a 22-year sentence for a racially motivated arson attack on a Roma family in the north of Moravia, committed in 2009. He had spent over 15 years in prison and will be on probation for seven years. He is not allowed to approach the victims. The public prosecutor backed the decision, but Roma family representatives strongly opposed it. Judge Hana Raszyková mentioned that Lukeš secured a job with his uncle, making it likely that he will lead a proper life in the future.

According to the Central Agricultural Inspection and Testing Institute, the country’s apple harvest is expected to decrease by 76 percent, to 23,886 tons, due to spring frosts this year. The pear harvest, on the other hand, is expected to almost double to 3,963 tons. As a result, the overall fruit harvest is estimated to decrease by 72 percent compared to last year, with a total of 33,767 tons. To compensate for the losses, fruit growers will get support of nearly CZK 500 million.

Czech police recorded three looting incidents and 17 violations of emergency laws during recent floods, Interior Minister Vít Rakušan said after a crisis meeting Monday night. The floods have claimed three lives, with seven people still missing. Authorities are focusing on restoring essential services and distributing emergency supplies. Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced a working group led by Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura to handle flood recovery funding. Floodwaters are slowly receding.

Despite bans and warnings, people have been swimming, kayaking, and surfing in the flooded Vltava River following increased water flow from the Vltava Cascade. A viral TikTok video shows a surfer near the Štvanice island, attracting both admiration and criticism. Authorities warn that such activities endanger not only participants but also rescuers. A swimmer was recently pulled from the river by firefighters and faces a fine of up to CZK 100,000.

The Czech flood situation is slowly improving, but southern Bohemia remains a concern as the Rozmberk pond overflows. Officials are assessing damages, which could reach tens of billions of crowns. Tens of thousands of households are still without power, and infrastructure problems persist. Some schools remain closed. Insurance estimates place flood-related damages at 17 billion crowns. Evacuations in affected areas are possible, but the weather forecast shows improvement.

Floods in the Czech Republic have impacted beverage manufacturer Kofola, with its Krnov factory suffering significant damage: a packaging warehouse was washed away, and stainless steel kegs were lost, the company's CEO Jannis Samaras reports. Though Kofola's shares initially declined, its securities rebounded, gaining 1.88 percent to CZK 325 on the Prague Stock Exchange, which weakened overall, with Erste Bank and ČEZ shares both losing ground.

The Czech Crown Jewels exhibition at Prague Castle's Vladislav Hall attracted 2,801 visitors on its first day, compared to 4,200 last year. President Petr Pavel has made the annual display a tradition for the St. Wenceslas holiday on September 28. This year’s exhibition, titled "The Mysterious Power of Stones," showcases holographic animations of the jewels' original appearance from 1347. The exhibition runs until the end of September.