Floods continue to ravage Central Europe

Volunteers and emergency personnel worked through the night from Sept 18 to 19 to fortify the Polish city of Wroclaw against approaching flood waters, while Hungary opened a dam as the prime minister warned a "crucial period" was approaching.

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The worst floods to hit Central Europe in at least two decades have left a trail of destruction from Romania to Poland, spreading mud and debris in towns, destroying bridges, submerging cars and leaving the authorities and householders with a bill for damage that will run into billions of dollars.

"A lot happened tonight," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told a crisis meeting in Wroclaw. "We will need urgent information... from those places that received high water." Lines of people in Wroclaw passed sandbags to fortify river banks and to protect buildings.

The authorities expect waters to peak in Wroclaw on Sept 19.

The Polish Defence Ministry said more than 14,000 soldiers had been deployed to flood-hit regions, with the armed forces using helicopters to evacuate people and strengthen flood defences.