Sziget Calm About Danube Floods

The organizers of Hungary’s Sziget Festival hope the flooding along the River Danube won’t create any problems, as the barriers are likely to prevent the water from swamping its Old Buda Island site.

Europe’s second-longest river is set to hit unprecedented levels in the Hungarian capital Budapest in the next couple of days.

In the last week, floods caused by torrential rain have forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes in Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. At least a dozen people have died because of the deluge.

“We have protected the Island so far,” said Sziget general manager Gábor Takács June 11. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed for one more day. The barriers must protect us from the flood until Wednesday evening (June 12), then the water level will be normal.”

On June 9 thousands of people left their homes in eastern Germany as a dam burst on the River Elbe and swathes of farmland were flooded in an attempt to spare towns.

Budapest Mayor Istvan Tarlos told a news conference held at a dike shored up with thousands of sandbags that the Danube had peaked at 8.91 metres, above the 8.6 metre record in the 2006 floods.

This year’s Sziget (Aug. 5-12) has Blur, Die Artze, Azealia Banks, Seeed, Boys Noize, Deichkind, Hadouken!, The Bots, and Triggerfinger.