Intensive work is ongoing along the Danube, with water management experts already monitoring flood phenomena in the Szigetköz region, while in the Danube Bend, sandbag reinforcements are nearly complete, said the spokesperson for the National Directorate General for Water Management (OVF) in an interview with M1, speaking from Dunabogdány on Thursday late afternoon.
Gabriella Siklós emphasized that the flood defenses are holding up under the pressure.
According to her, the Danube is beginning to peak in the Szigetköz region, with the crest expected in Komárom by Friday morning and in Esztergom by Friday afternoon. It is estimated to be about half a meter below the 2013 flood level. In Budapest, the peak is likely to occur on Saturday afternoon, she added.
The spokesperson also mentioned that the water level on the Lajta River is nearing its peak. There is an emergency alert there because a flood storage basin has been opened, she said. The basin is functioning well, and the water management experts timed its opening perfectly, successfully reducing the flood’s peak, as she explained.
In Dunabogdány, soldiers and firefighters are strengthening the embankment along Road 11, Siklós Gabriella reported, adding that in the village, a very specialized defense needs to be implemented jointly by the experts among the houses. Water has already entered some gardens, and sandbags are being used for protection in the area. Additionally, counter-pressure basins are being created to safeguard the road and homes. The work is being carried out in an organized manner, she said.
Gabriella Siklós also mentioned that no significant rainfall is expected in the Danube’s catchment area over the next five to six days, so another flood peak is unlikely. However, the recession of the water levels will be slow, she noted.
After the peak, water management experts will continue to monitor the embankments 24/7 in the Szigetköz region, where leaks and springs were discovered in several places even on Wednesday night. Where necessary, sandbags and plastic sheeting were used to reinforce the embankment, she said. In the Danube Bend, experts will be checking the condition of the temporary flood defenses following the peak, she added.
Flood – Kisoroszi A drone photo shows the flooded Danube at Kisoroszi on September 19, 2024. Photo: Jánossy Gergely / MTI