Karol Kierzkowski, spokesperson for the head of the State Fire Service, told Polish Radio that most of the firefighters’ work involved clearing fallen trees caused by strong winds, securing buildings, and removing floodwaters. The majority of these interventions took place in the southern part of the country.
Overnight, rain was mostly recorded over central, eastern, and northeastern Poland. As of 4 a.m., no rivers had exceeded alarm levels, though the Bobrza River in the Świętokrzyskie province was above the warning level, according to water level maps provided by the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW).
The severe weather situation in Poland was the main topic of a government crisis management meeting convened on Wednesday, attended by Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Firefighters on standby as Poland braces for flash flooding
Meteorologists warned of possible local flooding and waterlogging but stated that a major flood threat for Poland is unlikely.
Most rivers across the country remain at medium or low levels following a recent hydrological drought.
Safety efforts are supported by 5,500 professional firefighters, 31 special companies, over 100 specialized teams, and 250,000 volunteer firefighters from the Volunteer Fire Departments.
Heavy rain swells rivers in southern Poland
Poland’s Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW), the national weather service, reported that the past 24 hours brought intense rainfall linked to a low-pressure system named Gabriel.
The heaviest downpours were recorded in Małopolska in the south and in the Podhale region in the southeast of the country.
Water levels at two monitoring stations in the Vistula River basin have exceeded warning thresholds. In the Oder River basin, conditions remain more stable, with only localized rises observed, mainly along the upper Oder and the Warta River.
Firefighters are urging the public to follow weather warnings and safety instructions, including keeping phones and power banks charged and unplugging electrical devices during storms.
IMGW has issued top-level alerts for heavy rain and storms across central and eastern Poland, forecasting up to 140 millimeters of rainfall in some areas, with warnings in effect until Thursday.
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Source: MSWiA/KPRM/IMGW/PSP/X/@Kierzkowski_PSP/@KGPSP/@DariuszKlimczak