As a response to the Hungarian activation of the EU Civil protection mechanism, Germany has offered more than 1.27 million sand bags to increase its flood containment capacity of the country, the European Commission said in a media statement on May 27 2010.

The Czech Republic has offered 100 000 additional sand bags, the same amount offered by the Netherlands and Croatia.

Austria has offered 250 000 and Denmark also offered 300 000 additional bags.

The combined offers of these five countries (2.12 million bags) go beyond the two million sand bags that Hungary requested on May 25 when it activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, the European Commission said.

The Commission said that the Hungarian authorities have already accepted the offer of the Netherlands and are considering the others.

Since May 15, Hungary has put in place temporary flood protection measures along 930km of river banks.

With more than 3.6 million sandbags already in use as temporary protection, Hungary is facing shortages.

As the flood situation is worsening, the country urgently needs to strengthen its flood containment capacity and put in place additional temporary protection.

The country has been facing unusual amounts of rain since May 15, with about a third of the country affected.

Flood protection efforts are concentrated in four areas: North Hungarian rivers, Central Hungarian Great Plain, Valley of the Kapos river, and the Bakony Mountains in Trans-Danubia.

The request for two million sandbags had been sent to all civil protection authorities of the 31 countries participating in the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, the European Commission said.