Warsaw, Jun 3 (IANS/RIA Novosti): Rescuers have found the bodies of two people who died following heavy floods in the Czech Republic, while three other people are missing. Highest flood alert levels have been declared at more than 50 cities.

One woman died in Trebenice outside Prague Sunday when her house collapsed. The body of a man was found in a ruined house in the same town, the CTK news agency reported.

The rescue operation in the flood zone was hampered as the rescuers could reach the buildings only on boats, police said.

Three rescuers disappeared during an operation and a search for them was underway.

Authorities in Prague declared a state of emergency Sunday after the Vltava river reached the highest level of flood alert.

City officials closed eight metro stations to save the subway from flooding.

The famous Prague Zoo also started evacuating some animals, including gorillas, turtles and tapirs, whose cages could be submerged, the CTK agency said.

In August 2002, the zoo was affected by the country's most disastrous flooding in history, in which many animals were found drowned.