Flood in Poland 2024. General Ryszard Grosset: There are two ways to remove the effects of flooding. But the first one will not succeed

The guest of Friday's edition of the “Tak jest” programme was the former Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Fire Service, General Ryszard Grosset, who was one of the coordinators of the aid and rescue operation during the flood in 1997.

He was asked whether the time from the moment the forecasts were issued to the first floods was not a time of oversleep, as in 1997.

– Definitely not, and I think that's obvious from the effects. Of course, disasters of this scale have to end in some human tragedies, because that can't be avoided, but please note that they only happened where hydrotechnical installations failed, i.e. a dam was destroyed or water overflowed the dam – he said.

– However, practically everywhere this response, as effective as a person, together with their technology and possibilities, was prepared. Even where unforeseen events occurred, such as the need to evacuate the hospital in Nysa, it was carried out in such a way that the health condition of none of the patients deteriorated – Grosset added.

Asked what to tell people affected by the flood, that everything that could be done has actually been done, the TVN24 guest replied that “it is an extremely difficult task”. – These people also knew, they were warned, that there might be a need for evacuation. These people also realized where they live and where their houses are – he said.

– Incidentally, I think this is an excellent moment to start a much broader discussion, because if a house is flooded for the third, fourth or fifth time by another flood, it means that it simply should not be built in that place. It means that these people need to be relocated. Unfortunately – Grosset pointed out.

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As he said, “there are two ways to remove the effects of flooding”. – Either move people away from the river, or move the river away from people. You can't move the river away from people. There were such attempts and during major floods, rivers usually demanded their old beds. Therefore, people have to be moved away from the river – he added.

The expert was also asked whether the decision to introduce a state of natural disaster in the flood-affected areas was not made too late (on Monday).

– No, definitely not. This is an extremely difficult decision, with many different consequences, and therefore requires deep consideration. And such a decision cannot be made lightly. That is why it is made when there are absolutely inalienable reasons for it, such as the need to enforce evacuation orders. That is what happened in this case – he pointed out.

– It is easier for the uniformed services, but it is also much easier for the injured parties, because it is easier to obtain compensation or special legal regulations that are friendly to the injured parties, so from this point of view it is of course better. It is much more difficult for the administration to function in such a state and it is much more difficult, and the effects of this are visible, for the civil and local government administration to adapt to the regimes and rigors of the state of emergency – Grosset added.

He explained that this is due to “the difference in the algorithms of action”. – They are completely different, but subordinated to rescue operations, while local government officials learned to manage in conditions of subordination to the laws of economics or the laws of the principles of social coexistence – he noted.