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Vltava River May Have Crested, Is Not Receding

Aired August 14, 2002 - 14:40   ET

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

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: The worst flood in 200 years is ravaging the Eastern European city of Prague, and tens of thousands of people have been evacuated, but officials tell CNN the city's river may have crested.
So joining us live from Prague now is CNN's Jim Boulden -- Jim, did the situation manage to hold this afternoon?

JIM BOULDEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Carol, I just want to let you know the sun is obviously going down here in Prague. People say that the river has crested. However, the river is not going down. There is a big difference between the two. They think it has reached its top, but they say it may last another three or four days at this level, which means it is going to take much longer to see how much damage this flood has done.

I do want to show you one thing real quick. The very famous Charles Bridge, the 14th century bridge behind me. On there, you can probably see two cranes. Now, those cranes are situated there in case any debris comes down the river, and that is important because this is one of the most famous bridges in Europe, and those two cranes are there. Police and fire and other rescue people are there in case any body comes down there, or anything that could damage the bridge.

Americans will remember that bridge from the "Mission Impossible" film, that is where that was shot, and also it is the pedestrian bridge used to get into the old city.

Earlier today, there was a very dramatic rescue in the water. Each bridge has some police and firemen on it, and a man was found in the water coming down -- that water is rushing very fast, 30 times as fast as normal -- and that man was rescued and pulled out in very dramatic fashion. That was very good news, because there have been some deaths here in Prague, but that man did survive.

Unfortunately though, the zoo -- the zoo here had a terrible problem. Two of its animals, a 35-year-old Indian elephant, very well known, and also a hippopotamus were caught in the water. Many people thought the water would not get this high. And those animals were caught, and as the elephant was drowning, the decision was made to destroy the elephant and also the hippopotamus. A very sad story indeed at the very famous Prague zoo.

Also earlier today, I talked to some tourists from Illinois. They had come here three weeks ago, expecting a trip of a lifetime. They had to leave the countryside because they were very concerned about the talk of the floods, and now they are stuck here in Prague. There is not much to see, the churches are closed, many of the museums are closed. They are just sitting in the old town square, trying to decide what next to do -- Carol.

LIN: All right, Jim. At least they are safe for now. Thank you very much. Jim Boulden live in Prague.

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