Water is entering flooded tenement houses in Kłodzko. The level of the Nysa Kłodzka River in this city is close to that of 1997 and reaches almost 6.5 meters, Natalia Przytarska, press officer of the guard, told PAP. Things were calmer in Lądek-Zdrój and Stronie Śląskie in Biała Lądecka.
Junior aspirant Natalia Przytarska, press officer at the District Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Kłodzko, told PAP on Sunday morning that water is seeping into Kłodzko and starting to flood tenement houses in the city.
Unfortunately, the level of Nysa Kłodzka is close to the 1997 flood level and is almost 6.5 meters. The lower streets are flooded, including: Skośno, Malczewski, Chełmoński streets. Residents are urged to evacuate
– she reported.
She added that so far 762 people have been evacuated across the district, but in the city of Kłodzko itself and the neighboring rural commune of Kłodzko much less, 21 people.
We don’t know about independent evacuations, it could be a much larger number of people
– said Przytarska.
She stressed that the situation is also difficult in smaller towns in the Kłodzko commune, for example Krosnowice or Żelazno, where properties and roads have been flooded since the afternoon or evening. There are also power outages in many towns in the district and in Kłodzko itself. In the evening, the voivode’s spokesman announced that there were 12.5 thousand agricultural holdings in the region, but that this number has now increased.
In Kłodzko, the power was cut off in some houses and streets during the night, but the power engineers restored it. Everyone is working with full commitment. Since yesterday morning, the district fire department has received 668 calls for intervention.
– said the firefighter.
She explained that the situation had improved slightly on the Biała Lądecka River in Lądek-Zdrój and Stronie Śląskie, where the river had receded slightly and stopped flooding roads, houses and properties as it did at night.
It is difficult to say whether this is a permanent trend or a temporary weakening of the element. The situation at the Wilczka River dam in Międzygórze is difficult because the water overflows the reservoir. It can no longer be directed, so the operation of this dam has been suspended.
– said Przytarska.
Wodociągi Kłodzkie informed that tap water is only suitable for domestic purposes and should not be consumed.
The Institute of Meteorology and Water Management predicts rainfall of up to 150 litres per square metre in the Lower Silesian, Opole, Silesian and Lesser Poland Voivodeships from Thursday to Sunday, which may cause flash floods. In these voivodeships, a warning is issued against heavy rainfall of the highest degree – third degree. The heaviest rainfall is expected in the Kłodzko Valley.
The Racibórz Dolny reservoir was launched
The Racibórz Dolny reservoir on the Odra River began to hold back floodwaters on Sunday morning, Waters Polskie said. Before the reservoir began operating, the situation in the Oder river basin in Poland and the Czech Republic was analysed, as well as hydrometeorological forecasts, the statement added.
The Racibórz Dolny flood reservoir on the Oder River began to impound flood waters on September 15, 2024, at approximately 4:20 am and thus intercepts the flood wave, significantly cutting it. The decision to release the reservoir was made by the team indicated in the Water Management Instruction. The floodgates of the overflow and drainage structure were lowered when the Krzyżanowice water gauge station in the Upper Oda watershed showed a rise of approximately 690 cm with a flow of approximately 750 cubic meters per second.
– informed Wody Polskie.
The start of the damming was preceded by the closure of the Odra City Entrance and the verification of the correct functioning of individual elements of the reservoir, including the pumping station. Previously, the entities carrying out crushing activities there and the fishermen left the reservoir.
Before the start of the damming, the situation in the Oder river basin in Poland and the Czech Republic and hydrometeorological forecasts were analyzed. The upcoming flood wave and changes in forecasts posed a threat of flooding for residential buildings and infrastructure in the areas located below.
– noted representatives of Polish Waters.
In parallel with the development of the situation on the Oder, the Flood Protection Operational Centers in Gliwice and Wrocław have developed an optimal solution to prevent overlapping flood waves, thanks to the functioning of the Turawa, Otmuchów and Nysa reservoirs. The Racibórz Dolny reservoir is functioning properly, safely impounding water and under round-the-clock supervision by PGW Wody Polskie employees in Gliwice.
– they assured.
We lower the gate valves of the overflow and drainage structure. We protect Kędzierzyn-Koźle, Opole, Wrocław and smaller cities
– reported the 10th Regional Water Management Board Wody Polskie in Gliwice on the platform.
The fight for the temporary bridge in Głuchołazy continues
All day Saturday, rescue teams are trying to strengthen the structure of the temporary bridge over Biała Głuchołaska in Głuchołazy. Stone cubes have been dumped on the road, the weight of which serves to weigh down and stabilize the crossing pillars.
The bridge over the Biała Głuchołaska River along the national road No. 40 in Głuchołazy is a temporary structure. The crossing will remain operational until the construction of the final bridge is completed. Since Saturday, it has been recognized as one of the critical flood defence points in the Opole Voivodeship. The bridge was visited by Prime Minister Donald Tusk during his visit to the region on Saturday.
Due to the record high water level in Biała Głuchołaska, the temporary bridge was closed to traffic. When the water began to reach the level of the bridge on Saturday afternoon, Paweł Szymkowicz, Mayor of Głuchołazy, called on the residents of the city and the localities located downstream of Głuchołazy, who live within a 200-meter stretch of the river, to evacuate immediately.
The Biała Głuchołaska has never been so high and the water continues to rise. There is practically no difference in height between the river and the temporary bridge structure on the national road no. 40 in Głuchołazy. There is a real risk that the water will damage the bridge and flow over the embankments. Due to the topography of the terrain, if this happens, it will only be able to return to the riverbed after Bodzanów and Świętowo have been flooded. Therefore, I urge all residents of threatened areas to consider moving their families and friends to a safe place as soon as possible. By the time the alarm sirens sound, it may already be too late.
– said Szymkowicz.
Rescue teams fear that the collapse of the bridge could cause significant damage below the crossing and at the same time allow flooding in the city. Therefore, the decision was made to reinforce the bridge abutments. To this end, stone cubes are placed on the bridge deck, which weigh down the structure and reinforce the abutments against the pressure of the water flowing from, among other things, the mountainous areas on the Czech side of the border. According to estimates by rescue teams, the highest water level in Biała Głuchołaska is expected in the coming hours.
Evacuation in the Silesia province
In the Silesian province, 66 people have been evacuated so far due to the risk of flooding – in the counties of Cieszyn, Bielsko and Wodzisław. The situation is most difficult in the poviats of Bielsko and Bielsko-Biała, where, after heavy rains, water has flooded many buildings and industrial facilities.
Spokesperson for the Silesian Fire Brigade Brig. Aneta Gołębiowska reported that from midnight to 6 a.m. on Sunday, 1,788 events related to weather conditions and the hydrological situation have already been registered across the voivodeship. Since Friday, when the rains began, there have been 4,738 in total.
Firefighters received the largest number of reports in the poviats of Bielsko-Biała and Bielsko (891), as well as in the poviats of Pszczyna and Cieszyn. The Provincial Headquarters of the State Fire Service reports the evacuation of a total of 66 people – 34 in Cieszyn County, 28 in Bielsko County and 4 in Wodzisław County.
According to the firefighters, the worst situation is currently in the districts of Bielsko and Bielsko-Biała, where many buildings and factories have been flooded, including sewage treatment plants; firefighters are protecting the railway station from flooding. “Forces and resources from outside the district have been sent to the scene,” Brig. Gołębiowska added.
As local authorities previously reported, the most difficult situation is in the Stare Bielsko district, where a stream overflowed and flooded properties located there. A mother and two children were evacuated from there.
READ ALSO: More evacuations! Strong statement from the mayor of Bystrzyca Kłodzka: The dam will overflow in 15 minutes. This is the last chance to evacuate
READ ALSO: Dramatic situation in Lądek Zdrój! The river is flooding streets and houses and the evacuation is underway. Tusk admits: There will be record rainfall
Alarm states
On the night from Saturday to Sunday – after heavy rains – the alarm levels on the rivers in the south of the Silesian Voivodeship were significantly exceeded. Some of them spilled over. The Bielsko fire brigade reports evacuations in Bestwin, Międzyrzecz and Bielsko-Biała.
Data from the IMWM show that after heavy rains, rivers in the southern Silesian Voivodeship have exceeded the alarm levels. This is the case for the Olza River in Cieszyn, which reached 381 cm shortly before 1:30 am. This is 151 cm above the alert level. The water is rising. The river belongs to the Odra catchment area. The alarm was exceeded on the Vistula River in Wisła, Skoczów and Ustroń. Huge rises occurred on the Biała River in Bielsko-Biała. In Mikuszowice it reached a level of 260 cm. The historical maximum in July 1970 was 257 cm. The river flows in full flow through the city centre.
Duty officer of the city fire department, Asst. Szymon Herok told PAP that by around 3 am rescue teams had dealt with around 600 incidents related to flooded watercourses in the Bielsko and Bielsko-Biała districts.
We work in Bielsko-Biała, Bestwina, Czechowce-Dziedzice, Jasienica and Jaworze. We mainly pump water from the property. 20-30 people were evacuated from endangered areas in Bestwin, Międzyrzecze Dolny and Nad Potokiem Street in Bielsko-Biała
– said Asp. Heroque.
Bielsko municipality spokesman Tomasz Ficoń told PAP that a flood emergency has been in effect in Bielsko-Biała since 1:00 a.m. The city’s firefighters intervened around 250 times in just a few hours.
The most difficult situation is in the Stare Bielsko district, where a stream overflowed and flooded properties there. A mother and two children were evacuated from there. Niwka was also flooded. The White River reached a 90-year high.
– said Ficon.
Information from the IMWM shows that over the past six hours, 101.2 mm of rain per square meter fell in Błatnia in the Silesian Beskids, in the Wapienica district of Bielsko-Biała – 98.3 mm, in Brenna – 95.9 mm, and in the center of Bielsko-Biała – 89.4 mm.
Photos sent by Bielsko residents to local media show extensive flooding on roads. Underpasses, among others, were flooded. Water flooded a supermarket in Stare Bielsko. A small bridge over Biała, next to the town hall, was closed to pedestrian traffic.
Throughout Saturday, the most difficult situation was in Zebrzydowice in Cieszyn Silesia, but it is slowly stabilizing there.
The crisis team is still active. Firefighters are responding to current signs from residents. They are pumping water from the property. There are no signs of an evacuation being necessary at this time, but we are waiting because it is still raining.
— Aleksander Cierniak, deputy mayor, told PAP.
link/PAP
