Poland declares state of emergency as floods batter Central Europe

Severe flooding across Central Europe has resulted in at least 16 deaths and forced hundreds of thousands to evacuate their homes. In response to the widespread destruction caused by torrential rain and river overflows, Poland has declared a state of emergency in several areas.

Days of torrential rain have led to multiple rivers bursting their banks, causing widespread destruction across the region and six deaths in Poland, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The Polish announcement of a “state of natural disaster” will affect parts of the southwestern Lower Silesia and southern Opole and Silesia regions, under rules that came into force on Monday afternoon.

The move means that the authorities have the right to issue mandatory evacuation orders and limit the movement of people in specific zones.

The order came shortly before the mayor of the southwestern town of Paczków told people to evacuate after a dam retaining a reservoir near the town collapsed, sending a torrent of water towards it.

Dramatic video footage shot from a helicopter showed tons of muddy water surging over the remnants of the collapsed dam.

A hospital in the nearby town of Nysa has already been evacuated as floodwaters began to submerge parts of the city. Forty-seven patients were moved on Sunday, and 97 on Monday.

The mayor then ordered the evacuation of all the town’s residents, urging anyone who had stayed in their homes to move to the tops of buildings.

Following a sitting of a crisis management team on Monday, the Polish defense minister announced that due to people refusing to evacuate over fears of their homes being looted, military police would be patrolling deserted areas.

So far, the flooding has led to at least six deaths in Poland and caused severe damage to buildings and infrastructure.

In response, Donald Tusk, the prime minister, told reporters: "I have turned to the finance minister, and, at the moment, we have secured one billion zlotys in reserve for the needs of localities and people stricken by the flood.”

News.Az