1,000 Animals Evacuated from Prague Zoo Amid Intense Flooding [VIDEO]

A deluge of heavy rains in Central Europe has caused flooding in many cities, including Prague, where animals from the Czech capital's riverside zoo had to be evacuated to save their lives.

"Hundreds of animals were evacuated, including large cats, tapirs, the whole monkey pavilion and the gorillas," said Prague Zoo's director Miroslav Bobek in a statement, reported by CNN.

Two months' worth of rain fell in just a few days, sweeping across the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, with high waters also reported in Slovakia, Hungary and Poland.

Among the big cats needing evacuation were tigers and lions, the Global Post reported. Tigers were tranquilized before being evacuated to higher ground, according to the BBC.

Bobeck said that most of the gorillas were able to be lured to evacuation zones with food, but the zoo's oldest male gorilla refused to move and had to be tranquilized as well.

Nearly 1,000 animals were moved to higher ground. Two birds drowned in one exhibit, but all other animals were saved, Bobeck said.

"We are now working with other zoos in the Czech Republic to see where we can place animals that won't be able to return to their pavilions soon," Bobek said.

The flooding is the worst Prague has seen since 2002, when similarly severe floods killed 27 people. Eight people have died in connection with the current round of flooding, according to an AFP/Reuters report.

"It's a terrifying feeling to experience this all over again," Petr Velensky, the zoo's reptile specialist, said.

Prague Zoo is expected to reopen Wednesday, though some of its residents may be on temporary vacation.