Spa towns have turned into ruins, but residents are not giving up. They hope that tourists will return

Stronie Śląskie was a picturesque place in the mountains, surrounded by nature. However, there is no trace of this image. The photos show the power of the elements in Stronie Śląskie. – A Pendolino passed through my house, but I have a house. I don't have a barn – says one of the residents of Stronie Śląskie.

The drama began when the dam burst. The gentle roar of the rivers woven into the resort turned into the ominous roar of the element. The roads became riverbeds, the water rushed into the city with enormous force. It took the police headquarters and the municipal guard building with it, tore off parts of houses, and branches and cars floated downstream. – We were at home all night, but we escaped when the dam started to fail and three hours later the embankments burst and flooded everything – says Mr. Jarosław, a resident of Stronie Śląskie.

The damage is enormous. The authorities of Stronie Śląskie initially estimate the losses at one billion złoty. – We have to deal with the river so that it returns to its original bed, then we can start working relatively safely – says Lech Kawęcki, deputy mayor of Stronie Śląskie.

Building assessments are underway. Residents are waiting for information on whether they will be allowed to return to their homes. “They need to take measurements and see what condition the foundations are in,” says Mr. Jarosław.

There are still places in the town where there is no electricity or running water. Residents are making a dramatic appeal for help, and directly to the Prime Minister. – Mr. Prime Minister, this city is not ready for crisis management. The city authorities are not ready for crisis management, they have never experienced anything like this. Other authorities experienced it, years ago. I don't know what it is like with other municipalities. We need specialists here who know how to manage crises. The services are sitting on the sidewalk and don't know what to do, because no one is managing them – appeals Katarzyna Oruba, a resident of Stronie Śląskie.

READ MORE: Resident: services do not know what to do. Minister of National Defense: there are 600 soldiers here, local government officials are also fighting

Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that Senior Brigadier Michał Kamieniecki took over crisis management from the mayors of Stronie and Lądek. “More military units are reaching both communes. In Stronie alone, there are already over 600 of them,” the head of government wrote on social media.

It is necessary to clear the roads. Crossings must be built so that heavy equipment can reach every ruined part of the city. There are requests for support from the engineering troops. – The army is absolutely at your disposal here and will organize crossings wherever it is needed. Not at some selected points, but wherever it is needed, but, of course, with the coordination of the governor and after consultation with the Minister of Infrastructure – emphasizes Cezary Tomczyk, Deputy Minister of National Defense.

The situation is also dramatic in Lądek-Zdrój. This spa town was also cut off from the world, without gas, running water and communications. Now it faces long weeks of reconstruction.

– I strongly believe that Lądek will recover after all this and will once again be this wonderful town, attracting tourists and showing the best side of this region. But the people who live here have lost all their property, we must remember that they really, really need help to cope with all this, with this scale of the tragedy – reported TVN24 reporter Radomir Wit, showing the destruction in Lądek-Zdrój, which is his hometown.

The Biała Lądecka River flooded more and more towns. In Żelazno, it destroyed, among other things, a car repair shop and farms. – 40 years of my work, I have nothing. Where I invested everything in production, everything for this year and the next year. I don't have a farm, I have nothing. My possessions are a bucket, a shovel – says Mrs. Elżbieta Twardosz, a resident of Żelazno.

Where the water has already receded, a major cleanup is underway. Buildings are being dried, tons of rubble, destroyed furniture and electronic equipment are being removed.

READ ALSO: One car and photos showing how quickly the water poured into Kłodzko

The residents of Kłodzko are supported by firefighters, soldiers, and volunteers from other towns. Local entrepreneurs are counting on the fact that tourists will soon return. – Today, the emergency funds will be used to rebuild what has flown away. However, it is important for tourists to come to us, to leave their money here, and this is the greatest support for us, if we finally get a grip on what we currently have – says Joanna Kraj-Plenkiewicz, a resident of Kłodzko.