Authorities reinforced the main river in Prague on Tuesday as rising waters threatened to flood low-lying parts of the historic city, including its zoo.
Barriers were erected to prevent water spilling into streets, and metal walls will be erected at the medieval Kampa district below the 14th century Charles Bridge.
“It is necessary to secure this part of the city as soon as possible due to the growing water flow in the Vltava river in Prague,” Prague City Council said in a statement.
Rivers across the central European country were rising fast due to rain and unusually warm weather that melted deep snow.
An operator at the Vltava river management firm Povodi Vltavy said the water flowing into Prague was three times the average for spring, and estimated it could rise by another about 75 percent in the coming days. Weather forecasters said there would be more rain throughout the week.
Prague suffered its worst flooding in centuries in the summer of 2002, when the swollen Vltava river forced tens of thousands to leave their homes and water spilled into large parts of the city and flooded its underground rail system.
The floods killed 17 people and caused damage worth several billion dollars across the country and damaged many buildings in the ancient city center.
The city council said Prague Zoo, where more than 100 animals including an elephant drowned in 2002, may be forced to evacuate its lower-lying part in the next 24 hours.
