In many cities and villages the situation remains dramatic. Houses, schools, hospitals, roads and bridges have been destroyed. Thousands of people have been evacuated.
One of the most vulnerable cities in southern Poland is Wroclaw, located on the Oder. Due to intense rainfall, the water level in the river is rapidly rising, so there is a considerable risk of flooding in the city. The culmination of the flood is expected in Wroclaw on September 17 and is likely to last for several days.
In the southern regions of Poland, as well as in Austria, the Czech Republic and Romania, there is terrible flooding. According to experts, it was caused not only by intense rainfalls, but also by global climate change. On September 12, the Genoese cyclone “Boris” came to Poland.
The water level in the rivers has risen rapidly, which in turn has led to large-scale flooding of cities and villages. Railroad traffic between Poland and the Czech Republic has been suspended. The Polish-Czech border crossing in Gołkowice was closed on Saturday, September 14.
The Lower Silesian, Opole and Silesian Voivodeships were hit the hardest. Here the government has declared a state of natural disaster for at least 30 days, which, among other things, provides for restrictions on people’s rights and freedoms: a ban on staying in certain places and forced evacuation.
In some places in Poland, 215 liters of rain per square meter fell in 24 hours. In the cities of Nysa, Jelenia Góra, Głucholazy, Lądek Zdrój, Czechowice Dedzice, Stronie Śląski and Kłodzko, the water level rose to catastrophic levels, in some places even exceeding the “millennium flood” of 1997.
Then, as a result of torrential rains (in just a few days, a month’s worth of rain fell in the Silesian Voivodeship), the Odra and Morawa rivers burst their banks. The streets were flooded, people moved around in boats, and many waited for help on the roofs of their houses. In Poland, 56 people died, the water caused damage worth 12 billion zlotys, destroying almost 700 thousand houses and depriving tens of thousands of people of their property.
Today, residential areas, administrative buildings, schools, hospitals, and cemeteries are also flooded. In many places, the elements have destroyed infrastructure. For example, in Lądek Zdrój, almost all bridges have been destroyed, including the St. John’s Bridge, dating back to the 16th century.
This bridge was famous for its strength, as, according to legend, during its construction the craftsmen added raw chicken eggs to the material. The structure withstood the flood in 1997, but this time the elements were stronger. Now the city can only be reached from the Czech Republic. There are tons of silt and dirt on the streets of the town. There is no telephone connection or electricity, and there is not enough water.
Some settlements are completely cut off from the outside world, many are trapped in their homes. People confined to hospital beds are also trapped. For example, in the city of Nisa, a hospital had to be evacuated due to flooding, and staff and patients were urgently transported to other medical facilities.
In many regions of Poland, a large-scale rescue operation is underway, involving, among others, the Polish Army, the police, and the fire service. Helicopters are evacuating residents and animals from the most dangerous areas, and rescuers are working in extremely difficult conditions. Often, people have to be rescued directly from the roofs of their homes. On September 15 alone, about 3,000 residents of Poland were evacuated.
Animals also suffer from floods. Many were touched by the story of a dog in the town of Glukholazy, one of the first to be flooded. The four-legged creature found itself trapped in a water trap on a bridge, in the midst of a turbulent stream of water. He tried to save himself until the very end, but the elements proved stronger: the water washed him away. Everyone thought that the dog had died, but a little further downstream he was saved by a local resident, Mr. Robert.
As of September 16, at least five people are known to have died in Poland due to the elements. The flood took the life of a famous surgeon from the city of Nysa, among others. Krzysztof Kaminski was returning from the hospital after a shift and at some point stopped communicating. His car was found on one of the flooded streets. The 71-year-old man probably got out of the car to continue walking, the driver’s door was open. Rescuers found the surgeon’s body on the night of September 16.
The number of victims and fatalities may increase, as many areas remain isolated due to flooding and rescuers cannot reach them. It is also too early to talk about the exact amount and scale of damage. However, it is known that the cities of Stronie Śląskie, Kłodzko and Głucholazy suffered the most from the disaster: entire streets and houses were destroyed, apartments were flooded. The water level exceeded several meters. The restoration of these settlements, where there are many architectural monuments, will take years and will cost tens of millions of zlotys.
One of the most vulnerable cities in southern Poland is Wroclaw, located on the Oder. Due to intense rainfall, the water level in the river is rapidly rising, so there is a considerable risk of flooding in the city. The culmination of the flood is expected in Wroclaw on September 17 and is likely to last for several days.
Residents fear a repeat of the catastrophic flood of 1997, but the city hall assures that Wroclaw is sufficiently prepared. City residents are given sandbags. Mineral water, bread and pasta are disappearing from store shelves. People are preparing for the worst-case scenario.
Donald Tusk said that a billion zlotys had already been allocated to help the victims. Anyone who suffered losses will be able to apply to local authorities for compensation. The victims will be paid 10 thousand zlotys in non-refundable aid, as well as up to 100 thousand zlotys for apartment repairs and up to 200 thousand zlotys for the reconstruction of houses.
Other EU countries are ready to provide Poland with humanitarian aid and rescue equipment. Ukraine has also offered support: Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal expressed solidarity with Poland and said that Kyiv is ready to immediately send a hundred rescuers with special equipment to combat the flood.
“This is very touching,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk noted in response.
Meteorologists warn that heavy rainfall could continue for several more days, so the risk of further flooding remains high.
Despite all the difficulties, the Polish people are showing solidarity. In particular, Warsaw, Katowice, Sosnowiec and Krakow have announced fundraising for people from flood-affected regions. In the flooded voivodeships, rescuers can refuel their special equipment and cars for free at Orlen petrol stations. Volunteers from different parts of Poland are heading to help in the south of the country, and neighbors are providing shelter to those who have lost their homes.
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.