Warnings were issued on Friday, December 25, that heavier-than-expected rainfall in eastern Slovakia that day would lead to increased danger of flooding. The announcement was made by Dušan Mydla of the Slovak Water-management Company.
Meteorologists later warned of the possibility of floods in several areas of central and eastern Slovakia, with the highest, third-degree, flood alert in force on the Roňava, Hornád, Hnilec and lower Bodrog Rivers (eastern Slovakia), and on the Hron, Ipeľ and upper Nitra Rivers (central Slovakia).
The municipal crisis-management team in Zvolen (Banská Bystrica Region) decided to evacuate around 150 occupants of an accommodation unit in the town, among them mainly poor people, to the Technical University in Zvolen because of the rising levels of the nearby Slatina and Hron Rivers. The flood situation later returned to normal. Elsewhere, the third-degree flood alert was downgraded to second-degree in most places.
In Podbrezová, rising water levels on December 25 led to the death of a 70-year-old woman who was swept away after she had gone to watch the floods. Another person is missing, believed drowned, the Sme.sk news website reported.
A day later, the water of the Hron River claimed another victim. Mayor of Hronovce Róbert Csudai saw a man struggling for his life and calling for help in Hungarian. The mayor was unable to help him and he was soon swept away. His identity has not been confirmed, but a man has been reported missing in nearby Šalovo.
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
