Dresden evacuations as floodwater continues to threaten Germany, Austria and Czech Republic

Jun 5, 2013

Some 600 people have been evacuated in the German city of Dresden as Central Europe floodwater continues to threaten parts of southern Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic.

The level of the River Elbe in the historic German city is not expected to peak until Thursday morning.

Emergency workers have been shoring up a dyke under threat from high water in the Austrian city of Krems.

At least 12 people have died and two are missing as a result of the floods across the three countries.

Seven deaths were recorded in the Czech Republic and three in Germany, while two people were reported dead and two missing in Austria, according to a European Commission update early on Tuesday evening.

Parts of Germany have not seen such severe flooding in centuries. However, in the Czech Republic, the water level has stabilized in the capital Prague, where there had been fears of a repeat of disasters in 2002 and 1997.

Some 600 people have been evacuated in Dresden as floodwater continues to threaten parts of southern Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic

River levels rose after sudden heavy rain following a very wet spring, which had left the ground saturated and unable to absorb the extra water.

Six hundred people had to leave their homes in Dresden and electricity was turned off in some parts of the city, a city spokeswoman told the German news agency dpa.

In another eastern city, Halle, streets were under water on Wednesday morning. According to German news magazine Spiegel, it is the highest water level in the city in four centuries.

Meanwhile, the floods were receding in the south German city of Passau. People could be seen sweeping up muck from their streets.

In Krems, the Austrian authorities were making plans to evacuate villagers as a local dyke looked at risk of collapsing under the swollen Danube.

Thousands of people left their homes in the Czech Republic in recent days as floodwater threatened to overwhelm flood barriers.

In the low-lying industrial city of Usti nad Labem, the River Elbe was spilling over the 10 m-high (33 ft-high) metal flood barriers.

The peak there is expected some time on Wednesday.

The main rail link connecting Prague and Berlin in Germany has been underwater, with trains being diverted.

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Marbella wildfire triggers thousands of evacuations

Aug 31, 2012

Firefighters are battling a huge wildfire raging near the wealthy resort of Marbella on Spain’s Costa del Sol.

At least one person has died and thousands more have been evacuated.

The body of an elderly man was found near Ojen. Rescue workers are searching for his wife.

Evacuations were ordered from near Marbella, Ojen and a camp site at Alpujata.

Marbella is famous for its up-market hotels and villas and is a favorite haunt of wealthy foreigners.

Firefighters are battling a huge wildfire raging near the wealthy resort of Marbella on Spain's Costa del Sol

Hundreds of firefighters, backed up by emergency military personnel and 31 planes and helicopters, continue to battle a huge blaze that is being fanned by hot, dry winds.

According to the AFP news agency, a 12 km (7 mile) line of fire has spread across the high tree tops in the Sierra Negra mountains.

In addition to the dead man, who was found near his home, five people have been treated for injuries, some of them serious.

Angel Nozal, the mayor of Mijas, a town between Marbella and Malaga, told El Pais newspaper: “The fire is horrific, with flames 10 to 15 metres high.”

The Costa del Sol is one of Spain’s most popular holiday destinations and home to a large expatriate community.

Much of Spain’s countryside was left tinder-dry this summer by a prolonged heatwave. There have been major wildfires in northern Catalonia – near the Pyrenees – and on La Gomera, in the Canary Islands.

Residents of Ojen described panic as the flames forced them to flee without time to gather belongings.

“We left just in our clothes, our nerves jangling,” said Filomena Gomez.

Evacuees from Ojen are now staying in a sports hall in Marbella.

The wind speed has dropped since Thursday and the air is more humid, so there are hopes that the Costa del Sol blaze can be contained soon.

The fire started on Thursday afternoon in the Sierra Negra area of Coin, near Malaga and has now affected an area of some 1,000 hectares (2,471 acres).

Part of the AP-7 highway was cut temporarily, but other roads are unaffected. It is not yet clear how many homes have been damaged or destroyed.

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