zakopaneREP
21 May 2010
zakopaneREP
19 May 2010
News / Flood situation worsens in southern Poland [119]
It is likely the government and local authorities will have to pronounce a State of Emergency as the flood threat is reaching its worst case scenario.
Due to a vastly increased waterfall during the last two weeks it is now clear that the region of Malopolska (Little Poland) and its capital city – Krakow – are dealing with a serious natural disaster crisis.
Little has been done as far as the anti-flood protection goes since 1997 when the most devastating flood destroyed the regions of Silesia and a huge part of South Poland. With excessive rainfall occuring back to back in recent years, it’s the poor management on the side of local authorities that are to blame. Yesterday, the chief of the Internal Affairs and Administration Ministry admitted to not having completed a long expected official flood prevention plan, which makes all the local authorities unable to employ their own local solutions.
Zakopane has not been affected unlike the region of Podhale where the rivers have burst their banks and caused some initial destruction. It has been reported that there have already been casualties and hundreds of people have been evacuated.
Krakow itself has prepared a major plan to secure the lives of its citizens. Redirecting all traffic from the Debnicki bridge caused a minor paralysis to the city. The Vistula River, a serene and romantic stream that usually invites the lovers and poets to enjoy some sunny moments on its banks has shown its most uninviting face. A few more inches and it will surge over the bridge – a nightmare coming true to each Krakow citizen.
It’s a time that affects everyone, let alone the tourist industry. Have we reached the point where disasters like this will be present in this part of the world regularly now?
If the blame is on the local authorities, are they allowed to pass the responsibility onto the most developed countries claiming it has happened due to the climate change they have caused? Among the countries affected even to a larger scale are Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and Hungary.
Looking from a mountaintop it’s not hard to come up with some predictions. It hasn’t ceased to rain and there’s plenty of snow up in here. Prepare for worse. And let’s hope for a few dry days with no sun in the Tatras. Suddenly very few elements are on our side.
It is likely the government and local authorities will have to pronounce a State of Emergency as the flood threat is reaching its worst case scenario.
Due to a vastly increased waterfall during the last two weeks it is now clear that the region of Malopolska (Little Poland) and its capital city – Krakow – are dealing with a serious natural disaster crisis.
Little has been done as far as the anti-flood protection goes since 1997 when the most devastating flood destroyed the regions of Silesia and a huge part of South Poland. With excessive rainfall occuring back to back in recent years, it’s the poor management on the side of local authorities that are to blame. Yesterday, the chief of the Internal Affairs and Administration Ministry admitted to not having completed a long expected official flood prevention plan, which makes all the local authorities unable to employ their own local solutions.
Zakopane has not been affected unlike the region of Podhale where the rivers have burst their banks and caused some initial destruction. It has been reported that there have already been casualties and hundreds of people have been evacuated.
Krakow itself has prepared a major plan to secure the lives of its citizens. Redirecting all traffic from the Debnicki bridge caused a minor paralysis to the city. The Vistula River, a serene and romantic stream that usually invites the lovers and poets to enjoy some sunny moments on its banks has shown its most uninviting face. A few more inches and it will surge over the bridge – a nightmare coming true to each Krakow citizen.
It’s a time that affects everyone, let alone the tourist industry. Have we reached the point where disasters like this will be present in this part of the world regularly now?
If the blame is on the local authorities, are they allowed to pass the responsibility onto the most developed countries claiming it has happened due to the climate change they have caused? Among the countries affected even to a larger scale are Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and Hungary.
Looking from a mountaintop it’s not hard to come up with some predictions. It hasn’t ceased to rain and there’s plenty of snow up in here. Prepare for worse. And let’s hope for a few dry days with no sun in the Tatras. Suddenly very few elements are on our side.