After excessive heavy rains in Central Europe, floodwaters in the Danube are expected to peak in Budapest on September 20-21. RFE/RL has been documenting the situation in the Hungarian capital, where the Danube has already burst its banks in places.

Authorities ensure that they are well-prepared for the challenges ahead. Hungary battles flooding For several days,

This alert affects all sections of the Danube, leading to the closure of both embankments from Monday evening until further notice.

Soldiers have dropped sandbags from military helicopters to reinforce river embankments and evacuated residents as the worst flooding in years spreads across Central Europe, taking lives and destroying homes.

(240918) -- BUDAPEST, Sept. 18, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Sandbags are seen on the bank of Margaret Island to prevent the flood in Budapest, Hungary, Sept. 17, 2024. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

The Danube, Europe's largest river, burst its banks in the Hungarian capital. The water reached the building of the Hungarian parliament in Budapest, according to local media. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán says that the floods are expected to peak in Budapest on the evening of September 21.

The water level of the Danube River in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava peaked on Tuesday, according to the deputy mayor for the environment, as flooding affected a broad swath of Central Europe.