buildings were in danger of flood damage, 32,000 people were threatened by the water, and 1.72 square kilometres (475 acres) of land were actually under water. Officials also placed most of the area near the Danube under a Level 3 Alert (on a 3-level scale). The flood was so severe that it threatened to spill into the underground in Budapest, through the Batthyány tér station — this, however, did not occur. The underground train stations Batthyány tér and Margit híd (HÉV) were closed out of precaution. The timing of the flood, incidentally, coincided with the Hungarian general elections. Causes Many dikes and levees breached because of a poor construction by local and national officials and of an unusual long and hard winter in Central Europe. The snowfall lasted well into April and many areas were frozen, so frost emerged, soaking the earth full of water. Humanitarian aid The Red Cross sent humanitarian aid in the form of blankets and mattresses to affected areas. See also 2005 European floods 2002 European floods References External links Balkans in race to stem flooding BBC News Massive German floods monitored from space Flood claim first victim in Austria 32,000 people in danger of floods Floods in the Czech Republic Floods in Germany Floods in Romania Floods in Serbia Floods in Bulgaria Floods in Europe European floods Floods 2006 in Serbia 2006 in Bulgaria 2006 in Romania Floods in Hungary 2006 in Hungary 2006 in the Czech Republic