THE WORST FLOODS IN THE HISTORY OF PRAGUE:

1002
oldest known flood

1118
This September flood was recorded by Kosmas in his Chronicle. The River Vltava rose above the level of the bridge in Prague (which was most likely wooden) and took away numerous villages, houses, cottages and churches.

1342
From 1st -- 3rd February, after a very severe winter, a flood came in a wave of melted snow and rain water. A huge mass of ice damaged the Judith Bridge - the first stone bridge in Prague and the second in Central Europe, built between 1159 and 1172 by king Vladislav I.

1432
21st - 27th July. At this time, the river reached the highest known level ever, when a massive drought was suddenly broken by intense rainstorms. In the Church of St. Giles, the water level reached 3 cubits, or 1.77 metres above the floor.

1784
26th - 28th February. This flood followed a long period without flooding, after an exceptionally long and severe winter with a great deal of snow, when an unexpected downpour began, lasting several days and melting the snow. With a flow rate estimated at more than 4,500 m3/s, this is considered the second largest flood in the river's history (after 1432). The river peaked at 6 m above the normal level.

1845
28th - 30th March. A long, hard winter was followed by a sudden thaw with rain. The flow through Prague was measured at 4,500 m3/s. The river was about a kilometre wide at the Charles Bridge. Some 7,000 people had to be evacuated and more than 3,100 houses were flooded. It was Prague's third worst flood.

1890
2nd. - 5th September. This flood covered all of Bohemia. Heavy rains persisted for the whole year, and for four days, from the 1st to 4th September, it rained continuously. The flood began in the upper reaches of the Vltava and the Maltsch River, and culminated in Prague on 4th Sept. between 8 pm and 10 pm, with a flow of 3,970 m3/s. Huge quantities of driftwood and other objects lodged between the pillars of the Charles Bridge. Water levels rose more than 5 m above normal. The Old Town was flooded, as was Střelecký Island, Žofín and Kampa, part of Malá Strana, Josefov, Karlín, Troja, Štvanice, Libeň and other places. The evening of 3rd September the boiler room at the National Theatre flooded, forcing the cancellation of all performances. Later the same evening, 20 soldiers were killed in Karlín as they were trying to dismantle the military pontoon bridge near the Invalidovna, in order to save it. About half past five on the morning of 4th September, the Charles Bridge collapsed - 3 arches fell into the river and 2 pillars were severely damaged. 4,000 houses were flooded and a few people were killed. People died even after the water receded, due to an epidemic. The Charles Bridge was reopened to traffic 19th November 1892.

2002
12th August

A third-degree flood warning was issued, meaning a serious threat of flooding. In the evening, the order came to evacuate Karlín, Libeń, Holešovice, Malá Strana, Smíchov and other areas. The metro line C was closed between Florenc and Holešovice rail station (where it crosses the river), and several other metro stations were closed as well.

13th August

The river reached a flow of 2,070 m3/s through the city. The voluntary evacuation ended and an organised evacuation with police assistance began. The water entered the zoo and all bridges were closed. By noon, the flow had surpassed the „Hundred-Year" record of 3,700 m3/s and later in the afternoon, it reached 4,500 m3/s. Other metro stations were closed and people began sandbagging the streets.

14th August

The Vltava reached its peak in Prague-Chuchle: the surface rose 785 cm and the flow could no longer be measured; in fact the water was damaging and even destroying the measuring stations. Hydrologists estimated the flow at some 5,300 m3/s. In August, the usual flow through Prague is somewhere around 50 m3/s. In the afternoon, the flow culminated in a rate of about 5,800 - 6,000 m3/s. It was therefore referred to as a „Five-Hundred-Year" flood. An eighth of the city's area was under water; huge areas were completely without gas and electricity.

The metro was flooded; 19 stations were completely submerged.

50,000 people were evacuated, primarily from Karlín, Malá Strana, Holešovice, and Liben. Zbraslav, Radotín, Chuchle, Lipence a Lahovice formed one giant lake. The Old Town came out of it the best - the water's surface stopped rising 24 cm under the edge of the protective flood wall. Buildings began to crumble in Karlín, parts of Podbaba, Troja and other areas were completely under water, 6 bridges were closed, as was the Florenc rail station, and for a short time, also the Masaryk station. Karlín and Holešovice were navigable only by boat.