Flood 2024. Crisis headquarters in Wrocław. Oława is still the “critical point”

During the morning meeting of the crisis team in Wrocław, Senior Superintendent Roman Kuster, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Police, said that according to information from the previous 24 hours, seven people died in the flood.

– During the previous 24 hours, 23 patrol flights and 17 transport flights were carried out by aircraft. 55 people were evacuated. In total, 195 people have been evacuated by ships since the beginning of the operations – he stated.

SEE: Government may introduce tools to control prices in flood areas.

Joanna Kopczyńska, president of the State Water Management Authority Wody Polskie, who was present at the meeting, stated that Oława is still the “critical point” of flooding.

This was also confirmed by Robert Czerniawski, director of the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. He said that while the section from Racibórz to Opole “seems to be safe”, the flood situation in Opole and Oława is currently “at its peak”.

– The point is to endure this period. The water should rise by about 10-20 cm and it will last for about two days. If we endure this upcoming period, then nothing should happen – he said.

According to the head of IMWM, Wrocław also seems to be safe at this moment.

– As for the rivers (…), the Bystrzyca is in the worst condition (…). When the culminating wave begins to flow in Wrocław tomorrow, the Bystrzyca, Ślęża and Oława may backflow – there may be flooding there, but this condition should go down with the retreat of the culminating wave, so it should be safe around Saturday – said Czerniawski.

Joanna Kopczyńska estimated that the maximum water height in Wrocław could reach that of the 2010 flood.

– The forecasts we have show that the water level in Wrocław is at its maximum from 2010 – she said.

– We have a constant large inflow of water to the reservoir in Mietków. The outflow from Mietków – so that the reservoir does not lose its retention capacity – currently amounts to 100 cubic meters per second. Let me remind you – we started with 40. So we equalized the outflow with the inflow. The same amount flows into the reservoir as we release – said Joanna Kopczyńska, president of the State Water Management Company Wody Polskie, during the meeting of the crisis team in Wrocław.

She added that the reservoir is being monitored on an ongoing basis and the services are primarily checking whether the front dam and the area around the reservoir are not leaking.

She also informed that since September 16th at 9 pm the dry polder on the Odra and the Oława-Lipki polder have been filled. She added that the filling of the Rybna-Stobrawa polder began on Tuesday evening.

She reported that water is being released from the Mysłakowice reservoir in Jelenia Góra in a controlled manner, and that it was possible to reduce the outflow in the Nysa reservoir. She added that since 7 a.m. on Wednesday, the outflow has been reduced to 400 cubic meters per second.

– This is normal outflow from the Nysa reservoir – she said.

She also informed that due to what is happening in Oława, dry polders have been launched and are currently being filled. This concerns the dry polder on the Odra, the Oława-Lipki polder and then the Rybno-Stobrawa polder. – As for the remaining reservoirs in the Nysa Kłodzka cascade, we have Otmuchów filled to 86%, Słup to 83%, Dobromierz to 83% and Bukówka to 69%. The inflow and filling are gradually decreasing. We are already starting to be on the safe side – she stated.

The president also reported that a technical fault had occurred in the Krosnowice reservoir, the surface overflow had stopped working and the water level had dropped. She added that the flow was not a threat, however.

Referring to local events, she informed, among other things, that the wall on Moniuszki Street in Żagań was leaking and had been secured by the military at night. She also repeated the request not to approach flood embankments and hydrotechnical devices.

The meeting also discussed the fact that in the flooded area, the national road network is impassable in five places. As stated by the Minister of Infrastructure Darius Klimczak impassable: DK 46 in Kamienica, DK 45 in Krapkowice, DK 39 on the Strzelin-Wiązów section, DK 94 in Skorogoszcz, DK 12 in Szprotawa. Alternating traffic was introduced on national road number 40 in Mochów.

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Four bridges on national roads are also impassable: in Bolesławiec on the DK 94, in Głuchołazy on the DK 94, in Maleszowice Wielkie on the DK 46 and in Mochów on the DK 40.

Klimczak noted that a military convoy with two DMS folding bridges is on its way to Głuchołazy, which will replace the destroyed crossings in Głuchołazy.

– The site is already being cleaned and the area is being prepared so that the foldable bridges can be erected as soon as they arrive – added the minister.

According to his information, the main railway lines in the flood-affected area are operating normally.

– On the railway, the worst situation is at the Kłodzko junction, the Kamieniec Ząbkowicki-Paczków-Nysa-Prudnik line is impassable, as well as the Głuchołazy station, where the damage is the greatest and includes track deformation. The railway border crossings with Czechs due to flooding of the tracks on the Czech side – the minister emphasized.