After the national water management company Hrvatske Vode (Croatian Waters) raised the red alert on Wednesday morning along the entire Danube river front in Croatia, Vukovar-Srijem County Prefect Bozo Galic declared a state of emergency for the entire flood threatened region in that eastern county.
An emergency situation has been proclaimed for regions along the Danube as well as river banks along the Vuka river where it enters the Danube and along the Bobota canal.
A crisis team assessed that all measures had been taken to protect the region from a flood wave heading in that direction from central Europe. All embankments, sand bags and other barriers have been fortified and are being constantly supervised.
The peak of the flood wave is expected to reach the area on Saturday and could reach a level of around 7.20 m which is not as high as the maximum ever recorded when it reached 7.69 m in 1965.
Croatian Waters representatives in Osijek reported that even though the red alert had been called, nothing dramatic or unexpected was occurring in the region.
A press conference heard that problems could occur if embankments in Hungary let down but that a second line of defence was on stand by if need be.
The expected peak in the water level on the Drava river is expected on Friday and could reach a level of 5 m.
