WROCLAW, Poland, Sept 19 (Askume) – Flood defences in Poland’s third-largest city, Wroclaw, appeared strong on Thursday despite this week’s worst flooding to hit central Europe in at least two decades .
Flooding in the Poland-Czech border region over the weekend reached Wroclaw overnight, but there were no signs of serious damage.
“The urban system has resisted and absorbed the main wave of the flood, which has been affecting Lower Silesia and neighbouring regions for a week now,” local authorities said in a statement on Facebook.
However, officials warned that the city would see more water than usual in the coming days, with parks and gardens likely to be flooded.
Agnieszka Popov-Wozniak, a 44-year-old infertility clinic worker who cycled into town, told Askume things were looking better than expected.
“There’s no flooding in the city at the moment … there is flooding at the recreational beaches, but I think we all expected that and I think everything is looking positive at the moment.”
The military said 16,000 soldiers, police and thousands of volunteers were assisting in the region.
Officers from Poland’s Internal Security Service (ABW) have arrested a man dressed in a military uniform who falsely claimed that public flood protection systems would be blown up, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.
Poland has warned citizens to be wary of misinformation about the floods.
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Wroclaw, where she will meet Tusk and the leaders of other flood-hit central European countries that have sought financial aid from Brussels.
At least 24 people were killed, including 5 in the Czech Republic, 7 in Romania, 7 in Poland and 5 in Austria.
The flooding spread mud and debris across the city, destroyed bridges, submerged cars, and caused billions of dollars in losses to officials and families.
Czech Finance Minister Zbynek Stanjura said the government would provide 30 billion crowns ($1.3 billion), about 0.38% of gross domestic product, in the 2024 budget revision, and earmark another 10 billion crowns for flood aid in 2025.
Czech Republic Interior Minister Vitra Kusen said most of the power supply would be restored by Friday.
To carry forward regional elections in the Czech Republic over the weekend, satellite connections were set up in areas lacking a mobile signal.
In Hungary, cities are grappling with rising water levels in the Danube River, with Prime Minister Viktor Orban saying water levels in Budapest are expected to peak on Saturday afternoon or evening but will remain below record levels of 2013.
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