Heavy downpours are sweeping across Poland. “The situation is dangerous and dynamic,” said Agnieszka Prasek, spokesperson for the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW). Videos of already flooded cities are circulating online, raising fears of a repeat of last year’s flood. How is the Minister of the Interior and Administration responding? The newly reinstated head of the ministry, Marcin Kierwiński, has stated… that he is in contact with regional governors (voivodes).
The Institute of Meteorology and Water Management issued warnings yesterday about heavy rainfall in the southern parts of Opole, Silesian, and Lesser Poland (Małopolska) provinces. A level III alert was declared there starting Sunday morning. As reported on the Niezalezna.pl portal, today, among the affected areas is a town that suffered significantly during last year’s flood – Głuchołazy.
“The situation is dangerous”
In the afternoon, IMGW spokesperson Agnieszka Prasek shared further updates on the rainfall. “At this point, we’re expecting up to 150 mm of rain – that’s roughly the equivalent of 1–2 months’ worth of rainfall – in the southern regions where level III warnings are in place, namely in the provinces of Silesia, Opole, and Lesser Poland. By Monday, rainfall in these areas could reach as much as 150 mm,” she stated.
Although she acknowledged that rainfall during last year’s flood was significantly higher, she did not downplay the current situation. “The soil is dry, so it cannot absorb the water. Instead, the water will spread sideways across urbanized areas, which may lead to local flooding and inundations,” she explained, adding that the situation remains dangerous and dynamic.
“As a result, we also expect an expansion of level III warnings in the Lesser Poland region. In the central and northern parts of the country, level II warnings have been issued, with rainfall expected to reach up to 100 mm by Monday,” she emphasized.
Water Levels Rising
The fire service reported that by 3:00 PM on Sunday, they had responded to 183 weather-related incidents. “The most occurred in the Subcarpathian, Opole, and Masovian provinces. The primary tasks involved pumping water out of flooded streets, basements, and properties, as well as removing fallen trees,” the statement said. Shocking videos of flooded towns are emerging online, showing submerged vehicles and the aftermath of breached flood levees.
“I’m in Contact”
How did Minister of the Interior and Administration Marcin Kierwiński respond to the situation? He addressed it on social media, stating that “he is in contact with regional governors and the heads of services.” “The Central Operational Reserve and cadets remain on standby. Rescue personnel numbers have been increased in the Silesian, Lesser Poland, and Opole provinces,” he announced.
He assured the public that “where needed, firefighters and police officers are already on the ground.” A meeting of the Government Crisis Management Team will not take place until 6:00 PM.
No surprise then, that comments are full of outrage at the government’s lack of preparation for a potential repeat of last year’s flood.