Some localities near Danube and Morava rivers closed as precaution

Several localities in Bratislava near the Danube and Morava Rivers have been closed to people for preventive reasons, Bratislava city police has announced on a social network.

The forbidden localities include, Tyrsovo Embankment, Slovanske Embankment below the Devin Castle, as well as the cycle path under the Freedom Bridge in Bratislava's borough of Devinska Nova Ves.

The police have called on people to avoid these localities for security reasons. According to the city police, the situation is currently stabilised and under control.

The Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMU) issued second-degree flood warning for the districts of Bratislava on Tuesday. "With regards to the hydrological situation in the German and Austrian basins of the Danube River, we expect a significant rise in water levels in the Slovak section of the Danube River and in the lower part of the Morava River, with second-degree flood activity being exceeded on the Bratislava-Danube and Devinska Nova Ves-Morava stations," SHMU posted on its website, adding that it continuously updates the development of the hydrological situation.

Bratislava mayor Matus Vallo on Tuesday afternoon announced that the river basin of the Karloveske branch below the Devinska Road in Bratislava is expected to flood its banks.

Environment Minister Tomas Taraba (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee) convened on Tuesday a crisis management team session in response to the rising level of the Danube River. On Wednesday he announced that the situation has been stabilised. According to the minister, the level of the Danube is expected to culminate at 738 centimetres at around 11 a.m. on Wednesday.

As all eight turbines at the Gabcikovo dam were put in operation on Tuesday to increase the flow of water, more electricity was produced than usual, explained Taraba, adding that the extra earnings should amount to €12 million.

(TASR)