Flooding hits Poland hard

21st May 2010

The worst flooding for over a decade struck Poland killing at least seven people and leaving a trail of devastation from the Czech border to Warsaw that could cost the country in excess of EUR 2 bln.

After days of wet weather a 24-hour downpour dropped 20 centimetres of rain on parts of southern Poland over Sunday and Monday, the equivalent of two months’ worth of rain in one day.

The deluge led to widespread flooding, first on the Czech and Slovak borders, and then further into the heart of Poland as water flowed down the rivers Wisla and Odra.

Hundreds of homes were flooded and thousands of people displaced despite the best efforts of thousands of fire-fighters, troops and volun ...