Rains and floods are coming. Let’s not panic, let’s listen to the orders of the services

It will be a very difficult weekend. Meteorologists predict thunderstorms, showers and flooding in the southwest and south of Poland.

Tomasz Terlikowski spoke to Tomasz Terlikowski about the threats and how to prepare for what awaits us in the coming days. spokesman for the Government Center for Security, Piotr Błaszczyk.

The situation is quite dynamic. The first warning about heavy rainfall was sent to the Lower Silesian and Opole Voivodeships. Yesterday, however, this scope was also extended to the Silesian and Lesser Poland Voivodeships. We are in constant contact with the IMWM. If anything changes in the forecast, we can change the notification area. Let us remember that in addition to heavy rain, storms are also forecast, which could also affect our safety. – said the RCB spokesperson.

Yesterday Jacek Sutryk, the mayor of Wrocław, in an interview with Radio RMF24 stated that there will be no floods in Wrocław like in 1997. Piotr Błaszczyk has a similar opinion.

The situation of 1997 should not be repeated. We are in a completely different place now.. First, this precipitation will be much less than back then. In addition, the technical condition of the retention reservoirs is significantly better. We also have information about what did not happen in 1997, namely the controlled release of water by the Czechs. It all boils down to one conclusion: despite the very negative weather forecasts, this situation is unlikely to happen again – said an RCB spokesperson.

What should you do to be prepared for this dangerous weather? – asked Tomasz Terlikowski.

The key to surviving this situation is not to panic. Of course we need to prepare, because that’s why we warn. But let’s not overdo it. If the messages in our region indicate that the situation will not be serious, there may not be a need to put sand in bags. Let’s adapt our plans to the current situation and forecasts – Blaszczyk replied.

If flooding occurs and services order an evacuation, we will not raise any objections. Firstly, we threaten our own safety and, secondly, the efficiency of the services’ operations. History shows that even if someone does not agree with the initial evacuation, the services still receive a request for evacuation support later on because the situation deteriorates. This unnecessarily increases the workload of the services, can cause this in some regions this aid will not arrive in time – Blaszczyk warned.

Should we prepare power banks and drinking water supplies for everything? – Terlikowski asked.

I recommend our “Be Ready” guide to everyone. – said Blaszczyk.

The guide was created 2.5 years ago, after the outbreak of the second phase of the war in Ukraine. This is a pill of knowledge about what to do to prepare for a crisis situation. And one of these elements is evacuation backpack. It is a backpack that is prepared in advance in case of various types of events. Inside there is, for example, a sleeping bag, a supply of water, some canned food, cutlery – the most necessary things that will make it easier for us to function in a threatening situation. In fact, this backpack has been mentioned many times in the context of the war in Ukraine and the potential extension of Russian aggression against NATO member states. But we must be prepared for the fact that this backpack will be useful not only in such a situation of military threat. It can be useful, as it is now, in a situation of a flood threat – recommended Błaszczyk.

You will find materials from the “Wartime Guide. Be Ready” here HERE. Below is one of the episodes of the video:

Potential evacuation messages can be sent from various administrative levels. Due to technological limitations, the RCB alert can be addressed to residents of a given voivodeship or a given poviat, but cannot be sent only to residents of a given commune.

Voivodeships, poviats and, above all, smaller communities, i.e. communes, play an important role. This is where we should go if we want to get information about a potential evacuation. We should follow the websites of the offices, communes, cities and voivodeship offices. In smaller towns, information about the threat (can be transmitted – editor’s note) through, for example, church bells. This is a formula that works perfectly in smaller towns – said Blaszczyk.

As for the evacuation itself, definitely we should have cut off the gas and electricity supplies earlierso as not to generate more dangers – noted the RCB spokesperson.