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CNN Live At Daybreak

Floodwaters Receding in Prague

Aired August 16, 2002 - 06:04   ET

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

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: In flood-ravaged Prague, the waters are receding, but the raging river has caused uncalculated damage to the Czech capital's historic center. Now, authorities are turning their attention to what is going to be a massive clean-up effort.
Reporting from Prague this morning, here is CNN's Mike Hanna.

Mike -- what's the latest?

MIKE HANNA, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Clean-up operations are well under way, as the city of Prague struggles to return to normal, and it's going to be a long and a hard struggle.

First of all, the people, tens of thousands of people displaced from their homes, some taking shelter in school halls, community halls, many moving in with friends and relatives, in fact, the bulk staying with friends and relatives, an indication of just how this city has pulled together in this time of crisis. The mayor says some may be able to move back to their homes within the next 24 hours; others, he says, may have to wait for two to three weeks before the buildings in which they are saying are certified to be safe.

Then, the basic infrastructure of the city, the Metro lines are completely closed. Certainly, the major line, the B Line that runs from east to west, several stations on that line completely flooded. It may be months before the Metro starts running normally again. That's a major problem for a city which relies very heavily on the Metro for transport.

Then, of course, the historical heritage of the city, all of those buildings lining the banks of the river that came down in flood. The extent of the damage there, still being ascertained, in all, it could take weeks, say authorities, before the full extent of the damage are to these buildings is ascertained.

Then, one must remember, too, villages to the south and to the north of Prague, severely hit in this flood, accounts of damage still coming in.

So for the government of the Czech Republic, major problems ahead, major financial burdens, and it will be looking to the outside for some form of financial assistance, as it struggles to bring the city and the country back to normal.

Mike Hanna, CNN, Prague.

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