Unfortunately, weather forecasts, announcing evidence rainfall in south-western Poland for Saturday, confirmed. The water level in many rivers exceeded the emergency conditions, in many places it was essential to evacuate residents. Soldiers are besides active in the fight against floods. “They will have a long night,” says Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamish.
In the afternoon, Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Tomasz Siemoniak, Minister of Interior and Administration, took part in the gathering of the crisis staff in Nysa, Opole. – Than that which brought dense rains in Poland and the Czech Republic is unpredictable. Forecasts have changed over the last 48 hours, but mostly they are not optimistic," said the Prime Minister at the end of the meeting. – What awaits us this night and part of Sunday will be rainfall in many evidence places. If we measurement only the amount of precipitation, we can compare this year with the 1997 or 2010 floods. There are places where the sum of precipitation is higher than in these most critical years, but it is clear that the Polish State has been importantly better prepared for this kind of activity since 2010. Both in terms of people, services, coordination and infrastructure," added the head of government.
– We would like to ask all those who feel threatened, all those who live in places where water is getting higher and higher, so that in a disciplined way they will submit to recommendations, requests and appeals of the fire department and the police," said Prime Minister Tusk. The chief of government argued that refusing to evacuate could make it impossible to carry it out in a fewer hours due to the increase in water level. “The good cooperation of residents with police and guards makes it very easy for these services. This is how we save time," Tusk noted.
The cabinet of the government assured that lessons were drawn from the erstwhile large floods and after the fall of the water, no victim would be left alone with his problem – destroyed property and flooded property. After winning the fight against the element, a fast assistance strategy based on the municipal administration is to be launched.
Soldiers were besides assigned to fight the flood. In the evening, in the office of 111th Battalion of the Light Infantry of the Territorial Defence Army in Krakow, a briefing of the commanders of the Polish Army was held with the participation of Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. “All MON plans were launched in case of a threat and the request to aid the services of the Ministry of Interior and Administration to defend the population,” said the head of the MON. “We have increased the number of soldiers in full readiness by 1,500 soldiers, to the level of 4,000,” Kosiniak-Kamish said. On Saturday, 500 of them helped to strengthen shafts (e.g. in Głuchołazy, Legnica and the Nyski district) and carry out evacuations (in Ostrów Wielkopolski and Nyski district), and specialists from the Support Assessment Teams operating in WOT structures were active in monitoring endangered sections. The usage of the army in action is decided by the voivodes, who coordinate all services and institutions in their territory. The Minister assured that the Ministry would immediately respond to any requests for assistance directed by the emergency staff, and if an increase in the military's participation in flood operations had to be made.
Film: Magdalena Miernicka, Maciej Zygmunt, Aleksander Kruk / ArmouredTV
The head of the MON besides reported that further WOT brigades were placed in a state of higher readiness: Lubelska, Podkarpacka, Przemyska, Nadbrzezańska and Świętokrzyska. 3 further task forces of engineering troops were established: in Krosno Odzański, Dęblin and Nisk.
– I've had the chance to talk to territorial defence troops who have been on full alert for respective hours. They are frequently very experienced volunteers, but there are besides those who have just begun to service at WOT. Thank them very much, due to the fact that they are going to have another long night, mostly unsleeping, due to the fact that in full readiness – said the head of the MON.
