Poland has been hit by devastating floods, with 9,113 people evacuated so far, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The hardest-hit region is Opolskie, where firefighters have assisted in the evacuation of 2,830 people. Other affected areas include Dolnośląskie, with 1,207 evacuees, and Śląskie, where approximately 300 people were evacuated. In less affected regions like Lubuskie and Małopolskie, fewer evacuations were necessary.
Health Facility Evacuations
The crisis also extended to medical facilities. In Nysa, rescue teams evacuated 101 patients from the local hospital using pontoon boats. Additionally, 35 patients from a care facility in Paczków were transported to safety, aided by military helicopters due to staffing shortages and flooding risks.
Initially, evacuations were voluntary, but with the declaration of a state of emergency on September 16, the government gained the authority to enforce mandatory evacuations. Despite the risks, some residents were reluctant to leave, fearing for their property.
Poland’s current flooding crisis has drawn comparisons to the devastating 1997 floods, which forced nearly 200,000 evacuations.