The top two weather experts of Hungary’s National Meteorological Service have been sacked after they forecast “extreme weather” conditions that turned out to be wrong, BBC reported Monday. The two were fired after the wrong forecast sparked a political uproar as it led to a special annual event getting postponed at the eleventh hour, the report said.
The Hungarian capital of Budapest was set to organise what was called “Europe’s biggest fireworks display” on Saturday evening to celebrate St Stephen’s Day, which is a national holiday in the country.
However, according to the BBC report, the event was postponed just seven hours before the event was to start, as the National Meteorological Service predicted bad weather.
Local media reports said there was prediction of thunderstorms and gusty winds on Saturday.
There was, however, no rainstorm on Saturday and the weather stayed calm, which led to the sackings of the head of the weather service and the deputy head, the reports said.
The fireworks display will now take place on Saturday, August 27.
Hungary has seen bad weather during this time of the year in the past. In 2006, a storm left five persons dead and many injured during the festivities, with reports mentioning how the crowds panicked on the banks of the Danube where they had gathered to watch the spectacle.
Sackings Despite Public Apology By Meteorological Service
Up to 2 million people in Budapest reportedly watch the fireworks display to mark St Stephen’s Day every year. According to the BBC report, nearly 40,000 fireworks were to be launched from 240 points along a 5-km stretch of the Danube river on Saturday. But the government had to postpone the event for a week as the National Meteorological Service issued extreme weather warnings.
The rainstorm it predicted, however, changed direction and hit eastern Hungary instead.
The meteorological service took to Facebook Sunday to post a public apology, and said the “least likely” outcome occurred, explaining that uncertainty is part and parcel of weather forecasting.
This, however, did not cut ice with the higher authorities.
Innovation Minister Laszlo Palkovics sacked the service chiefs Monday with immediate effect, the report said.
Not everyone in Hungary, however, wanted the fireworks to be organised this year in the first place. The BBC report mentioned that nearly 100,000 people had signed a petition, calling for cancellation of the event at a time when neighbouring Ukraine is facing a war and austerity measures are being taken at home.
Supporters of the government, however, were furious that the weathermen made such a wrong forecast.