Flood wave hits southwestern Poland, President Duda criticized for ...

Residents of Lubuskie province in western Poland are preparing for rising waters as a flood wave moves through Brzeg Dolny in the southwest. The Oder River's water level has surpassed the alarm threshold by more than 3 meters.

According to the Polish Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW), the highest water level is currently recorded in Brzeg at 946 cm. Although the water continues to rise, this level is still lower than during the great flood of 1997.

Meteorologists report that last night there were 42 instances where rivers exceeded alarm levels and 33 instances where they surpassed warning levels across Poland.

— IMGW-PIB Centrum Modelowania Meteorologicznego (@IMGW_CMM) September 20, Poles unite to reinforce flood barriers

Late last night, residents of Brzeg Dolny worked together to reinforce the leaking flood barriers. Hundreds of people carried sandbags into the night with dedication.

For the volunteers exhausted from the hard work, food trucks were set up, offering free pizza, fries, and hot coffee, according to local TV station TVP3 Wrocław.

Brzeg Dolny pic.twitter.com/qBBXr9mg8T

— Fakty TVP3 Wrocław (@FaktyTVP3) September 19, 2024

The flood wave is also passing through the capital of Lower Silesia, Wrocław. The city has been protected from flooding thanks to the Racibórz reservoir, which is currently half full, though the water level is gradually dropping.

? Przekazujemy komunikat @BiuroPrasoweUMW. pic.twitter.com/mKwXqIAvDB

— Wroclaw (@wroclaw_info) September 20, 2024 Flood in Poland. Criticism grows over President Duda's handling of the crisis

Today, the areas affected by the flood were visited by Poland’s President. After his visit to Lądek-Zdrój, he is set to travel to the Opole region. The President's Office emphasizes that Andrzej Duda's visit is not intended to interfere with the work of emergency services.

Prezydent RP @AndrzejDuda rozmawia z lokalnymi władzami na Dolnym Śląsku w #LądekZdrój. pic.twitter.com/JXkyThSZgQ

— Kancelaria Prezydenta (@prezydentpl) September 20, 2024

A day earlier, Jurek Owsiak, head of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity (WOŚP), sent a letter criticizing the president’s passive response to the flood.

Jerzy Owsiak wysłał list do prezydenta Andrzeja Dudy, w którym skrytykował głowę państwa za reakcję na sytuację powodziową.https://t.co/7lokath0ia

— PolskieRadio24.pl (@PR24_pl) September 19, 2024

In an interview with TVN24, Owsiak said that in the letter he expressed his critical view of the president's actions, calling them "wrong and inadequate."

The head of WOŚP stressed that the president had "slept through" an important moment when he should have been with the people, and added that Duda should be ashamed of planning foreign trips in the current situation (a reference to discussions around President Duda's canceled meeting with Donald Trump).

Read more about this subject: 10 billion euros for flood-stricken countries Wrocław hosts urgent flood response summit with major EU support expected WOŚP launches first aid transport for flood victims in Poland

Source: IAR/PR24/FaktyTVP3/IMGW/X/prezydentpl/@wroclaw_info

(m p)