Poland: Floods [DHA-02: 11-Jul-97]
Poland: Floods [DHA-02: 11-Jul-97]
Poland - Floods
DHA-Geneva Situation Report No. 2
11 July 1997
DISASTER UPDATE
1. During the last days the situation has remained unchanged in Southern
Poland. Most affected by floods are the provinces of Katowice, Opole and
Walbrzych. Preliminary reports indicate 23 killed and thousands of people
affected by this disaster. The Ministry of Interior of Poland has
transmitted to DHA the report below on the extent of the damage.
2. The water level of the Oder River has risen in the whole of the Opole
province. The level in Kedzierzyn-Kozle is higher by 310 cm than the alarm
level and in Opole town by 184 cm. The water level on the Nysa Klodzka
River is rising. The most dangerous situation is in Nysa and
Kedzierzyn-Kozle towns. 60% of Nysa has been flooded, including the
hospital which has already prepared for the evacuation of patients and
personnel. The Kozle district has been flooded, as well as the town
hospital, evacuated yesterday. In the Nysa Klodzka River Valley some
boroughs, of Otmuchow and Paczkow towns, and all the villages as far as
the confluence of the Nysa Klodzka River and the Oder River have been
flooded. Fortunately, the situation in Glucholazy and Glubczyce towns has
stabilized. A forecast of the progress of the flood predicts that the
western borough of Opole town may be flooded.
3. In the Katowice province, Raciborz, Kuznia Raciborska, Sosnowiec,
Zabrze, Rybnik, Dabrowa Gornicza are flooded, among others. Endangered are
the towns of: Chelm Slaski, Siewierz, Zebrzydowice. From this area, 1,600
people from 20 towns have been evacuated. In Raciborz the evacuation of
inhabitants lasted for the whole of 8 July. The same night, in the
"Electrocoal" Plant there was a fire which caused an explosion. The 40
people in the plant had to be evacuated. In the morning troops of the
Interior Ministry moved from Katowice to Raciborz to assist the
population.
4. The dams along the Vistula River have burst in the village of
Brzeszcze. Water flooded 500 square kilometers in the province. The
storage tanks in the Katowice province are full. The reservoir in
Goczalkowice is endangered by overflood.
6. In the Walbrzych province the Nysa Klodzka River crossed the alarm
level (in Bystrzyca Klodzka by 180 cm, in Klodzko by 170), but the trend
is declining. 3,000 people have been evacuated from the endangered
regions. In this province 35 square kilometers have been flooded, as well
as 280 kilometers of major roads.
7. The Provincial Flood Protection Committee in Krakow estimates the
danger as high. The water level of the Vistula River was still
increasing (in Bielany near Krakow it reached 267 cm above the alarm
level). The most endangered regions are Czernichow district and town,
Reciechowice district and the boroughs of Krakow along the banks of the
Vistula, while the Azory borough is already flooded. 50 square kilometers
and 150 major roads in the province have been flooded. There is a danger
that the Debnicki Bridge in Krakow will burst.
8. The Provincial Flood Protection Committee in Jelenia Gora is
maintaining the flood alarm in the entire province. Some 10.5 sq.
kilometers of land and 45 kilometers of roads have been flooded. The town
of Lwowek Slaski is flooded, and partly the towns of Jelenia Gora,
Piechowice, and Kowary. Some 360 people have been evacuated from 6 towns.
The storage reservoirs are still in good conditions.
9. In the Czestochowa province, Lubliniec, Klobuck and, partly,
Czestochowa are the most endangered. Some 15 sq. kilometers of land are
under water, and 200 people have been evacuated from towns and villages
along the Liswarta River. On 9 July, evacuation of 1,000 people took place
from the Stradom borough of Czestochowa.
10. In the Wroclaw province, the districts of Olawa and Strzelin, and
southeastern Wroclaw, Sroda Slaska, Trzebnica and Wololow are at risk.
11. In the Nowy Sacz province, water level remains high. 172 persons have
been evacuated, as well as one children's camp and two youth holiday
camps. The railway track has been damaged from Chabowka to Limanowa, and
from Nowy Targ to Zakopane. Trains have been stopped from operating on
this part of the rail network. The reservoirs in Czorsztyn, Czchow and
Roznow still work and the water outflow is under control.
12. According to information from the Chief Public Health Inspector, there
has been no danger of epidemics in the flooded areas yet. The relevant
services permanently control the food processing industry, restaurants and
the food storages. No danger of infectious diseases has been noticed so
far in the flooded areas.
13. Some 40,000 people have been evacuated from the flooded areas
altogether, 100 towns and villages have been cut off and remain without
electricity and 40 road bridges have been damaged.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
14. The Government of Poland, which is using all available national
resources to assist the affected population, has not expressed any request
for foreign assistance.
15. The US Government has announced today a bilateral emergency allocation
of USD 100,000.
16. The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies released USD 35,000 from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund for
the Polish Red Cross to distribute food and water to 500 people in most
affected area.
17. DHA continues to monitor the situation and to cooperate closely with
Polish authorites through the office of the UN Resident Coordinator in
Warsaw.
Telephone number: +41-22-917-1234
In case of emergency only: +41-22-917-2010
Desk Officer: Mr. Sergio Piazzi, direct tel: +41-22-917-3518
Contact for media: Ms. M. Moulin-Acevedo, direct tel: +41-22-917-2856
Telex: 41 42 42 dha ch
Fax: +41-22-917-0023
E-mail: info@dha.unicc.org
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