Fatal Floods in Central Europe

Fatal floods in the Czech Republic, captured on camera by a local resident.

It’s been raining heavily for days across central Europe.

And rising river levels prompted flood warning across the region.

Police said at least eight people died in overnight flooding in the eastern Czech Republic.

Rescue teams evacuated hundreds of people from houses threatened by the high water levels.

And it’s not over — as more rain is expected over the weekend.

In neighboring Austria, the situation was calmer as water levels began to fall, after some of the heaviest downpours in 50 years.

But Vienna’s Albertina museum, home to landmark Impressionist paintings, wasn’t taking any chances.

They began removing 950,000 works of art from their leaking underground depot — located directly underneath this plastic sheeting.

But the museum’s director says no artworks were damaged.

[Klaus Albrecht Schroeder, Director Albertina Museum]:
„Only the packaging, the protective material for the hare painting and praying hands by Durer, got wet. No wetness or moisture got on to the artworks. The precautionary measures being carried out now are very extensive, but we’re doing this to be careful in case there is any more dramatic bad weather.“

The 200-year-old gallery says it hopes to bring the artworks back to the depot by August.

(NTDTV)