Prevention and management of natural disasters in Miskolc city

Project completed

Miskolc city has been hardly hit by three important flooding due to heavy rainfall in 2010, leaving behind important damages at watercourses. For this reason, this Project reconstructs and maintains two out of the city’s twelve creeks and completes the drainage system in a low-lying township. 2’700 inhabitants living in the concerned areas will thus be protected from future flooding.
 

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Hungary
Enhanced security and safety
Managing natural disasters and emergency situations
01.10.2012 - 31.01.2015
CHF  1’068’377

Note: the texts under all the headings, with the exception of 'Results achieved', describe the situation before the start of the project.

Background Miskolc city is traversed by a network of up to 12 watercourses (rivers, creeks). During the 2010 exceptional floods most of these creeks overflowed and caused severe damage to homes, trade / industry and infrastructure. It was realized that the capacity of the creeks had been far insufficient. Due to the excessively high runoff in 2010, some structural improvements including rainwater drainage improvement have become unavoidable in addition to the usually done maintenance work of the watercourses (including periodic dredging). There is a tremendous relevant backlog in the entire city. However, not enough financial resources are available.

Objectives

The overall goal is to reduce the city’s vulnerability in case of extreme weather conditions. For this purpose, the risk of flooding is reduced along two creeks and danger of inundation / inland water damages are decreased in a low-lying township.

Target groups

Municipality, business and trade, 2700 inhabitants using schools and social services of the protected area on about 200 ha.

Activities

Miskolc improves the protection against flooding by undertaking maintenance and reconstruction works (e.g. bed dredging, riverbed widening, bed stabilization, slope protection) at the two creeks Pereces and Hejö. Furthermore, the city improves the rainwater drainage system (e.g. with new channel sections) in Szentpéteri kapu, a low-lying township, reducing the danger of inundation.

Results

Achieved results:  

  • 2700 people are protected from damages caused by flood and inland water in the framework of the project
  • 194,8 ha. of land saved from damages caused by flood and inland water
  • Riverbeds of rivers Pereces and Hejö reconstructed and widened on a total length of 3.5 km
  • The construction works were completed at all three sites.


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Swiss Contribution to the enlarged EU
Project partners Contract partner
Foreign state institution
  • National State Institute North


Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    1’068’377 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    860’646
Project phases

Phase 1 01.10.2012 - 31.01.2015   (Completed)