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CNN Live At Daybreak

Death Toll Continues to Rise Across Europe Along With Floodwaters

Aired August 14, 2002 - 05:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The death toll continues to rise across Europe along with the flood waters. Authorities now say at least 88 people have died in the past week. We're talking Russia, Romania, Austria, Germany and, hardest hit, the Czech Republic.
Mike Hanna joins us by phone from the flood ravaged capital of Prague.

Good morning.

MIKE HANNA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, a critical moment approaching, as it has been for a number of hours now. Authorities here waiting for the flood waters' crest to see how extensive the damage is going to be from this massive flood, the most extensive flood in well over a hundred years in the Czech capital -- Carol.

COSTELLO: We're just looking at these pictures and it's incredible. How deep is the water flowing through the city streets?

HANNA: Well, to give you some idea, there are various parts of the city more submerged than others. But the strength of this water is quite unbelievable. It's flowing at some 17,000 feet per second. Now, that is just a figure. But to make that in its proper context, that is 30 times as strongly as it would normally flow at this time of the year.

So the water is rushing through. Many parts of the old city are totally submerged under water now. Anybody who's been to Prague knows that the old city is down at the bottom of the valley. All the water is concentrating as it flows through, along the River Baltau (ph) in this old sector of the city.

So certainly the flood damage is going to be extensive. Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from the low lying areas of the city and still authorities waiting to see exactly how extensive this flood damage is going to be -- Carol.

COSTELLO: And it's sad because Prague is so historical and so ancient. It would be a shame to lose some of the buildings there.

HANNA: Well, you're talking about centuries of history, glorious buildings ranging from the Renaissance to the Baroque from the Hapsburg period, the Czech Republic, Prague itself came into being well over 1,000 years ago and through all these years these glorious cities have been, those glorious buildings have been established are now being damaged by floods. But one must remember, as well, that Prague has suffered floods before. The Charles Bridge, which is right at the center of the city, which is bearing the brunt of the flood waters at present, was itself built following another bridge that was there, the Judith Bridge, way back in the 13th century. That was totally destroyed in a flood.

So floods are something that have happened in Prague. People know about them. They try and contain the damage of them. But a flood of this extent, as I said, the largest flood that this city has suffered in over a century, is something very different, something very difficult for the authorities and the people of Prague to come to terms with -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Mike Hanna reporting live for us this morning.

And it's just a shame because Prague is certainly one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

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