Poland has reported its first fatality due to severe flooding that has affected parts of the country, particularly in the south, where torrential rain has caused rivers to overflow, towns to be evacuated, and infrastructure to collapse.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk visited the flood-stricken town of Kłodzko today, where he confirmed that one person had died as a result of drowning in Kłodzko County.
This development was covered by the Polish news outlet Notes From Poland.
Flooding in Southern Poland
"The situation is very dramatic in many places," Tusk stated during his visit, urging residents to take the threat seriously and adhere to evacuation orders.
So far, 1,600 people have been evacuated, and 17,000 have lost electricity in the worst-hit areas of the Kłodzko Valley, near the Czech border.
In towns like Stronie Śląskie and Lądek-Zdrój, rivers have overflowed, flooding buildings and cutting off access to all but emergency services. A video from Stronie Śląskie showed the complete destruction of a building by surging floodwaters.
Although Tusk had initially stated that it was unlikely the dam in Stronie Śląskie would be breached, later reports confirmed that the dam had collapsed, exacerbating the flooding in the area.
Communication and Rescue Efforts
With roads and phone connections severely impacted, authorities are deploying Starlink terminals, which provide internet connections via SpaceX-operated satellites, to maintain communication in affected areas. Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski announced that the first terminals are operational, with plans to launch several dozen more to assist rescue services and civilians.
Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said that restoring road connections and providing food and water to residents are now top priorities. Amphibious vehicles and helicopters have been deployed for rescue operations, while 4,000 soldiers are on standby to assist emergency services.
Flooding has also caused damage in other parts of southern Poland.
In the town of Głuchołazy, a bridge was destroyed by a surge from the Biała Głuchołaska River, raising concerns that the collapsed structure could worsen flooding by blocking the flow of water.
In Kraków, the country’s second-largest city, the Vistula River has breached its banks, with water levels reaching 372 cm, just above the warning level. Authorities predict it could rise further to around 400 cm, with the emergency threshold set at 520 cm.
Flooding is also affecting other parts of Małopolska, the province where Kraków is located. In the nearby city of Bielsko-Biała, the Iłownica River swelled to 634 cm, far exceeding the emergency level by 214 cm.
