Flood-swept Czech town turns disaster into development FEATURE 12/12/2010

Flood-swept Czech town turns disaster into development

FEATURE

12/12/2010

CHRASTAVA — Not many Czech towns of 6,000 might push “pinup” calendars featuring local women but Chrastava, ravaged by floods in August, has put a novel spin on turning disaster into development.

The town is still reeling from the devastation wrought when fierce rains turned a local river into a raging waterway, flooding 200 homes in this northern locality right near the Polish and German borders.

Damage is estimated at 1.5 billion koruna (60 million euros, $81 million) but relief funds from the central government have been slow to arrive.

So the town, 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of the capital Prague, took reconstruction into its own hands.

Chrastava now boasts several projects, including a new — if eccentric — footbridge to replace the old one washed away in the floods: A rickety, wood-framed, hand-propelled funicular for pedestrians.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20101212com3.html