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Budapest riverbanks to close on Monday evening, mayor warns of prolonged flood

In response to rising water levels on the Danube, Budapest authorities are preparing for serious flooding by closing the city’s riverbanks and reinforcing defences on Margaret Island with sandbags.

Mayor Gergely Karácsony has warned residents to expect a significant and prolonged flood, with the capital’s flood defence status raised to the highest alert level starting Monday.

In a video posted on Facebook, Mayor Karácsony expressed concern that the upcoming flood could last for an extended period due to continuous rainfall in the Danube’s catchment area.

Starting at 8 PM on Monday, both the Pest and Buda lower riverbanks will be closed to the public.

According to the mayor’s office, the flood alert level will increase to third degree as of Monday, based on updated forecasts. The latest projections suggest that water levels could rise by one meter per day in Budapest, with the river potentially cresting above 8 meters by midweek.

Given the severity of the situation, Mayor Karácsony announced that as of midnight on Monday, flood defences will be ramped up citywide. The city’s flood management team will implement a number of measures in response to the rising water. Among the planned actions, the Budapest Sewage Works Company will close flood barriers along Nánási and Királyok roads and construct a four-kilometre-long clay embankment, standing one meter tall and four meters wide.

As a result, Királyok Road will be closed to traffic starting Monday, Economx reports. On Margaret Island, lower-lying areas will be fortified with sandbags, with high-powered machinery brought in to assist. If necessary, authorities may also close the island entirely to both vehicles and pedestrians later in the week. Floodwaters are expected to reach the lower riverbanks on Tuesday, 17 September.

Sections of the Pest embankment, already closed for a weekend event, will remain shut until floodwaters recede.

Additionally, the entirety of the Pest and Buda lower riverbanks will close from 8 PM on Monday. From midnight on Saturday, parking along the riverbanks will be prohibited, with any remaining vehicles towed away by the city’s enforcement agency on Monday.

Public transportation in flood-prone areas along the river could also be affected, with further details to be announced early next week, depending on how the situation develops.