Central Europe braces for heavy rains and flooding forecast over the weekend

Central European nations are bracing for severe flooding forecast to hit the Czech Republic, Poland, Austria, Germany, Slovakia and Hungary over the weekend. Czech authorities erected metal barriers or protective walls from sandbags, while water was released from dams to make space in reservoirs. Residents have been warned to get ready for possible evacuations. Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on friday the country needed to prepare for "a tough weekend is ahead of us.” Meteorologists say a low pressure system from northern Italy was predicted to dump much rainfall in most parts of the Czech Republic, or Czechia, including the capital and border regions with Austria and Germany in the south, and Poland in the north.