Severe flooding in August 2002 devastated villages, towns, large areas of arable land, streets, roads, and industrial areas in the Czech Republic and Southeastern Germany. In the Czech Republic, 48,000 people were evacuated from Prague. Due to electrical outages, communication and the care of hospital patients suffered. Sanitation services and refuse collection also were not available, which increased the potential for the spread of disease. In Germany, five hospitals required evacuation. Electrical outages were problematic here as well, and it is recommended that the procedures for the long-distance transportation of a large number of severely ill or injured people be clarified in national plans.