Hungary's flood defense operations are moving forward successfully, with the weather playing a crucial role in easing efforts. At a press briefing on Friday morning, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán confirmed that recent forecasts were accurate, noting, “The good news is that the forecasts were correct, and in the past two days, no significant rainfall has occurred anywhere. We expect continued dry weather, which helps the defense efforts.”
The prime minister highlighted a significant expansion in protection. Yesterday, operations were conducted along 614 kilometers, while today, that distance has increased to 754 kilometers. PM Orbán also mentioned that first-level defense measures have been intensified across an additional 68 kilometers, while third-level measures have been implemented along 114 kilometers.
"As I said, all the forecasts were accurate, with only one or two centimeters of deviation at the highest water levels," he assured, confirming the precision of the current water level predictions.
The flood defense efforts are being heavily supported by a substantial workforce, with the prime minister reporting that 6,149 individuals were involved in the defense operations yesterday, including 321 additional professionals mobilized overnight. In terms of resources, over 1.8 million sandbags have been used to protect key areas, with 311,000 filled just yesterday.
PM Orbán emphasized that this scale of mobilization extends across various sectors, with 50 additional workers activated in the water management sector and 300 more personnel allocated from the disaster management teams. Meanwhile, 150 members of the Civil Guard have joined the operations.
Prime Minister Orbán offered a status update on several critical areas. In Pilismarót, defenses are at 99% readiness, while Tahitótfalu, Leányfalu, Vác, and Kismaros maintain 100% readiness. Even on Margitsziget in Budapest, all necessary precautions are in place. The prime minister also personally inspected defense preparations in Kisoroszi and Pócsmegyer, reporting a readiness level nearing 100% in both areas.
In response to a question from the press, PM Orbán remarked on the calmness and solidarity displayed by the public, saying, “it is a Hungarian trait that crises bring people together.” He explained that citizens are more at ease than during the floods in 2013, as they feel assured that no unforeseen dangers lie ahead.