Dramatic Floods in Klodzko County: One Drowns, Thousands Evacuated

Heavy rainfall has caused severe flooding in Klodzko county, southwest Poland, leading to one drowning and the evacuation of 1,600 people. With rivers surpassing record levels, many households lost power and road access was cut off. Authorities are urging residents to cooperate with rescue services.

Heavy rainfall has triggered severe flooding in Klodzko county, located in southwest Poland, resulting in one person drowning and the evacuation of 1,600 individuals. Local rivers have surged past record levels, inundating several municipalities after days of intense downpours.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the situation as 'very dramatic' after convening with the crisis management team. 'It's most dramatic in Klodzko county,' Tusk said while highlighting that 17,000 households were without power and mobile connections had failed in some areas. The flooding has isolated the towns of Ladek Zdroj and Stronie Slaskie, while parts of Klodzko town, with a population of 25,000, remain underwater. The local river rose to 665 cm, overshadowing the previous alarm level of 240 cm and breaking a record from 1997 when severe flooding claimed 56 lives in Poland.

'I'm calling for residents to cooperate with rescue services where calls for evacuation are issued,' Tusk urged. In the historic town of Glucholazy in neighboring Opole province, the mayor enforced compulsory evacuation as the local river began to overflow. Firefighters, local authorities, and soldiers have been diligently working to fortify a bridge in town, adding cobblestones to strengthen its structure.

As firefighters persist in their efforts to contain the flooding, more rain is forecasted for Sunday and Monday, worsening the already precarious situation.

(With inputs from agencies.)