Tatra Volunteer Search and Rescue rescuers evacuated a group of about 20 people from the Valley of Five Lakes with weakness, vomiting and diarrhea. TOPR and GOPR have their hands full. This year there are an exceptionally large number of interventions.
Even cloud cover did not discourage tourists from taking to the Tatra trails. At the end of the holidays, the Polish mountains still attract crowds.
– August 16 turned out to be a record day. Over 50,000 people entered our park in one day – says Tomasz Zając, an employee of the Tatra National Park.
Over the entire August long weekend, over 120,000 people went to the Tatras. With such traffic, it is not surprising that there are many accidents on the trails. From August 23 to 25 alone, TOPR conducted 49 rescue expeditions. They provided help to a total of 68 people.
There was also, unfortunately, a fatality. – A fall, most likely from a height. A boy in his twenties, who was following the trail, unfortunately, this trip ended tragically. We have no witnesses to the event, so we cannot provide more information about it – says Edward Lichota, TOPR rescuer.
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On August 26, rescuers helped a large group of tourists with symptoms of poisoning. – We evacuated a dozen or so people from the Five Ponds Valley and the Roztoka Valley, about 20 in total with such illnesses – diarrhea, weakness, vomiting – informs Edward Lichota, a TOPR rescuer.
A total of 13 underage tourists were taken to hospital. Doctors determined that they had previously drunk water from a mountain stream, which could have caused poisoning.
– One person did not drink water from this stream and felt very well. Currently, these children, young people in fact, are in the children's ward. They still have signs of dehydration. I think that they can be hospitalized for up to 48 hours – assesses doctor Jerzy Toczek from the District Hospital in Zakopane.
“There are really a lot of so-called Sunday tourists”
Last weekend, tourists with fractures or sprains also needed help. Often, rescuers need help from tourists who have become dehydrated or completely exhausted on the trail, which is not difficult in the mountains, given the high temperature and great exertion.
– Lack of fitness, not being able to adapt to the hardships of the hike plus lack of water, or a small amount of it, and no sandwich can be the reasons for difficulties in the mountains – lists Maciej Bielawski, a Tatra guide. Difficulties that can be easily avoided by simply planning the trip properly and realistically assessing your capabilities.
– You can meet tourists who are perfectly aware of the dangers in the mountains. They are dressed appropriately, they have the right things in their backpacks, but until the end of August there are really a lot of these so-called Sunday tourists – says Maciej Bielawski.
The large number of tourists has also resulted in a huge amount of work for the rescuers of the Mountain Volunteer Search and Rescue in the Karkonosze Mountains. They intervene on average 10 times a day and – as the group's leader says – in terms of the number of interventions, these are record-breaking holidays.
– So far, we have provided assistance to 230 people in 200 rescue operations and expeditions. Compared to last year, we see an increase of about 10-15 percent – informs Adam Tkocz, head of the Karkonosze Group of the Mountain Volunteer Search and Rescue.
What do mountain people advise?
A large proportion of these accidents are typical mountain injuries, but – similarly to the Tatra Mountains – there were also some resulting from poor preparation.
– In this heat, it seems to me that some tourists underestimated the fact that you also have to prepare for such a trip in good weather. A supply of water, a head covering, there were often weaknesses and fainting on the trails – says Adam Tkocz.
Mountain people advise to set out on the trails earlier. This will allow you to hike longer in lower temperatures and in the hottest heat, ending your expedition, and not just conquering the peaks.
Remember to drink plenty of fluids so that your mountain trip is a healthy activity and not a health hazard.
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