Głuchołazy Flooded Again; Interior Minister Dismisses Opposition Criticism as 'Political Maneuvering'

Głuchołazy, a town in southern Poland, is once again grappling with severe flooding after heavy storms brought torrential downpours. The Potok Bodzanowski overflowed its banks in the Rudawa and Bodzanów areas, with Wody Polskie (Polish Waters) attributing the worsening situation to rainwater runoff from surrounding agricultural lands.

Images circulating on social media depicted submerged roads and properties, echoing the devastating floods the town experienced earlier in 2024. Across Poland, the fire department responded to 1,124 incidents related to severe weather on Monday, with the Silesian and Lower Silesian voivodeships reporting the highest numbers. In the Opole voivodeship, where Głuchołazy is located, firefighters were called out 75 times, primarily for wind damage and flood cleanup.

Minister of Interior and Administration Marcin Kierwiński acknowledged the severity of the storms, describing the supercell thunderstorms as capable of drastically altering a town's landscape within minutes. He assured that emergency services were prepared and had responded to nearly 1,200 calls. However, he also noted that some areas are naturally prone to flooding due to the sheer scale and intensity of such weather events, citing the Bodzanów stream's transformation into a "raging river" during a surge.

Opposition politicians were quick to criticize the government's handling of the situation. Marcin Ociepa, a former deputy minister of defense, urged the government for immediate assistance, while MP Katarzyna Czochara questioned why residents still felt unsafe despite the allocation of over 360 million Polish zloty for flood reconstruction and improved defenses. Kierwiński dismissed these criticisms as "political maneuvering," arguing that it's impossible to prevent all extreme weather phenomena. He stated that no country has a system designed to completely avert the impact of severe storms or flash floods.

“

Ponad 360 milionów złotych miało popłynąć do Głuchołaz na odbudowę po powodzi. Donald Tusk i Marcin Kierwiński ogłaszali sukces i przekonywali, że miasto będzie lepiej zabezpieczone. Tymczasem po jednej gwałtownej ulewie mieszkańcy nadal walczą z wodą, a ulice i posesje zostają zalane. To nie jest powód do świętowania, tylko do rozliczenia. Tusk i Kierwiński powinni wyjaśnić, dlaczego mimo ogromnych środków mieszkańcy nadal nie mogą czuć się bezpiecznie.