Huge floods in Poland
A state of natural disaster has been declared due to the powerful floods passing through Poland. Five people have died. The south-western part of the country (Lower Silesia and the Opole region) has been particularly affected.
From Monday, classes are suspended in 350 educational establishments in four provinces in areas at risk of flooding or floods. Before midnight on Sunday, a flood alert was issued for Wrocław by the city's mayor.
Major losses are also already visible in agriculture. Up to several thousand hectares of fields are under water. Livestock had to be evacuated in many places, and there are also huge losses on the farms themselves. In many places, farmers have lost their entire livelihoods. In some places, more than 250 litres of water per square metre have fallen. There will be problems with virtually everything: seed, fertiliser, animal feed and silage. These losses are critical.
The official declaration of a state of natural disaster is of great importance. It brings with it specific restrictions and gives state bodies a number of powers. These include:
- forcing evacuation,
- imposing residence bans,
- carrying out necessary demolitions,
- using private property,
- imposing transport restrictions,
- imposing personal services on the population when service forces are insufficient,
- using the Armed Forces to prevent a disaster.
Beyond Poland, the situation is very serious in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary and parts of Austria.
Source: rmf.fm, PAP.pl, Farmer.