The vastness of water flooding cities and villages is primarily the drama of the locals. These are the stories of flooded homes and businesses, including the Nota Bene restaurant in Kłodzko. This is about saving not only buildings and equipment, but also lives – as in the case of a family with children stuck in a flooded car. The daring action of the firefighters saved them from tragedy.
Residents of flooded towns where evacuations were not carried out are seeing closely what the water is doing to their homes.
– Yesterday there was already a little, but this morning, unfortunately, it was simply an Armageddon. It's been pouring non-stop, everything is running down, we can't stop this water, everything is getting into the house through the grilles, so we've secured as much as we can – said Aneta Błachotnik-Matuszyk, a resident of Rzeczka.
At the same time, other inhabitants of the Lower Silesian village called Rzeczka were still trying to save their property.
– It was relatively calm for two days, manageable, and today it really got to us. The neighbors are going to get the bags, we will be surrounding them with bags – announced Mr. Stanisław, a resident of Rzeczka.
Mr. Rafał left his home in Jaszkowa Dolna near Kłodzko in the morning, and after returning several hours later he was unable to get to it.
– When we looked here from above, everything is flooded, the whole house is under water – said Rafał Gaweł, a resident of Jaszkowa Dolna.
Flooded restaurant Nota Bene in Kłodzko
The owners of a family restaurant in Kłodzko are also facing a dramatic sight. On September 14, our reporter reported on the removal of equipment, everything that could be fit into ten vans.
– We are saving what we can, our life's work, all the people here are of good will, friends, and they are helping us – said on Saturday Agnieszka Błońska-Majdańska, owner of the Nota Bene restaurant in Kłodzko.
Unfortunately, the water level was so high on Sunday that it flooded the building. – Yesterday I was full of optimism and I thought it would only end with flooding. Unfortunately, everything went down, we have no chance for anything – Agnieszka Błońska-Majdańska reported on Sunday. – We drove up at night, they didn't let us in, they said it was dangerous, of course. Oh well, I was hoping something would stay, but nothing will stay – she added.
The moment the building collapsesTVN24
Family saved by firefighters
The inhabitants of Bystrzyca Kłodzka also had a sleepless night.
– I took out what I could from the basement, the cars are upstairs – said a resident of Bystrzyca Kłodzka. – The situation is difficult, and now we were loading sandbags – described another resident of the town.
WOPR from Nysa pulled out the passengers of a car. Parents with four children and two dogs were stuck in it. Jet skis were used. The family was saved.
– The water surrounded the vehicle on all sides and the firefighters were not able to reach it, despite the excellent equipment they have, because it was too dangerous for the rescuers taking part in the action, even using mountaineering techniques, because the current there was too strong, and our rescuers on scooters managed to reach it and safely evacuate the family – said Jarosław Białochwałek, president of WOPR Nysa.
“Every now and then someone is looking for another person”
Residents of Międzyrzecz Dolne in Silesia estimate that the peak of the flood wave reached their village shortly after midnight.
– We didn't sleep at all from 12 o'clock, we took the child to my mother-in-law's house, higher up, because we were afraid that everything would be flooded – said Damian Kopeć, a resident of Międzyrzecz Dolne.
Mr. Damian's house did not suffer as much as his neighbors' houses. – The neighbors' houses were still flooded, one had water up to the ceiling, the other had its entire panels lifted up, well, generally it was a massacre – Damian Kopeć summed up.
– At half past two, they evacuated us from the house – informed Elżbieta Piesch, a resident of Międzyrzecz Dolne. – I came back to see what was going on – she added. She saw that the ground floor of her house was flooded.
In another place, a car that was delivering sandbags was flooded. – It didn't make it, he left the car and went to save his house – said Elżbieta Piesch.
Mr. Jacek, the author of the recording showing his family home in Lądek-Zdrój, almost completely flooded, wrote about a repeat of 1997.
Flood in CieszynMr. Jacek's recording.Contact24
– During the night we had half a meter more water and now we are trying to fight, in a moment the reservoir will probably release from above and we will have a repeat of what happened at night – says Dariusz Morel, a resident of Ustroń.
– Every now and then someone is looking for another person, their spouse or parents, and it's a real tragedy, because we have each other, so nothing will happen here, money is not important, we will rebuild it, we will take a shovel and we will manage – said Julia Madejska, daughter of the owners of the flooded Nota Bene restaurant in Kłodzko.
Main image source: TVN24