Czech Floods 2024: We are helping people in the affected areas

Published: Sep 24, 2024 Reading time: 2 minutes

SOS Fundraising Natural Disasters Floods

Our staff visited over 1,200 households in the Krnov and Jeseník regions, assessing the damage, determining what people needed, and arranging specific assistance for them. More than 80 of our colleagues have been involved in the relief work, and we are sending more colleagues to the affected areas to help on the ground for the long term.

We delivered material and food aid worth more than CZK 11.8 million to the affected communities; we also provided 19,800 litres of the disinfectant Savo and 44,500 litres of drinking water.

We have distributed over 1,400 wheelbarrows, 32,000 pairs of gloves and over 6,500 brooms and scrubbing brushes to local warehouses.

In many places, the extent of the floods is worse than in the 1997 floods, with the Krnov and Jeseník regions being especially hard hit. A large amount of funding will be needed to rebuild homes. If you can, please contribute to our SOS Floods 2024 fundraiser, it will help us to do more to help the people whose lives have been upturned by the floods.

"As in previous floods, after the water recedes, we will use financial donations to help rebuild the homes of those who cannot help themselves," says Marek Štys, head of the flood team. Marek added that the level of assistance provided will depend on how much can be raised in the public appeal.

"The floods are ongoing, and the rivers are just beginning to recede. We are in the first phase; people are in shock. We need to clear the houses and dry them out as much as possible before winter sets in. Soldiers are going to the area to help out. For some, crisis psychological intervention will be essential. Some places are short of drinking water. In some places, there is no electricity and no signal; that's a priority now. Massive material aid will be needed, and money for the reconstruction of households will be essential," says our media coordinator, Adriana Černá, on the situation in Jeseník.

We are in communication with the integrated rescue system and regional and municipal fire brigades, and we coordinate with other humanitarian organisations. We will adapt our support to the needs of the situation. We have many years of experience with flood programmes in 1997, 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2013, as well as with operations after the devastating tornado in Moravia in 2021.

How we usually help in natural disasters

In the first weeks, we provide urgent material assistance to affected households in coordination with municipalities and crisis teams.
When the water recedes, we map the needs in the affected regions, visit individual households, and focus on helping particularly vulnerable groups, such as people without relatives, without savings, seniors or single parents.
We provide affected people with psychosocial support and advise them on handling the necessary administration and home repairs. We operate on-site even years after the disaster until the residents of the flooded areas return to normal life.
In the long term, we also focus on disaster prevention, spatial planning, anti-flood measures, increasing the ability of the landscape to retain water and climate resistance.