The Ministry of Infrastructure is beginning to estimate losses following the flood wave in southern Poland. It is already known that restoring the damaged sections of roads and railways will take time and will cost a lot of money.
Kłodzko. “I saw tracks that were twisted like a spring. They were set upright like a fence”
The head of the ministry, Dariusz Klimczak, said on Friday, September 20, that there are sections of the railway that are completely destroyed. In the vicinity of Kłodzko (Lower Silesian Voivodeship), railway tracks were devastated by the accumulation of the flood wave. – Yesterday in Kłodzko I saw tracks that were twisted like a spring. It was the first time I saw such destruction that the tracks were placed vertically like a fence. The force of the water was so great – said the Minister of Infrastructure in the “Flood Report” of Polish Radio.
Road communication in the areas through which the flood wave passed is to be ensured, among other things, by temporary bridge crossings. One of them is being built in Kłodzko. The time of construction of such an investment takes about a week.
The head of the Ministry of Infrastructure also explained that he knew of 11 reports regarding the construction of such bridges. According to data from the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA) shows that the flood destroyed or damaged approximately 1,000 kilometers of local roads.
Flood in Poland. Railway disruptions
PKP Polish Railway Lines announced on Friday, September 20that the main lines in the flood areas are passable. The interruption in traffic caused by the flood concerns two sections: Kłodzko Główne – Kłodzko Miasto and Nysa – Prudnik. The border crossings with Czechs: Cottages – Bohumin, Głuchołazy and Cieszyn. Passenger traffic at the Zebrzydowice – Petrovice border crossing has been partially restored.
By Friday, September 20, 26 sections of rail lines in flood-affected areas had been cleared. Additional announcements about changes in transport are being made at stations and stops. By 4 p.m. on Friday, 24 trains had been canceled and 49 were running on shortened routes.