In a dramatic overnight effort, hundreds of residents of the Polish town of Nisa joined forces with soldiers and firefighters to repair and reinforce a crucial flood defense embankment. The embankment, which had been compromised, was at risk of collapsing and causing severe flooding in the town center, Polish media reported.
In a related incident, a dam on the Strzegomka River near the village of Wawrzeńczyce, approximately 35 kilometers southwest of Wrocław, breached, sending torrents of water that also demolished a local bridge. The Strzegomka River is a tributary of the Bystrzyca River, which flows into the Oder River in Wrocław. The Oder is expected to reach its peak today in Opole and on Wednesday in Wrocław, prompting the army to step in and assist with embankment reinforcements.
TVN 24 reported that residents of Nisa have been working tirelessly alongside rescue teams to prevent flooding. Sandbags and cobblestones are being used to shore up the embankment at Kościuszko Bridge. “Residents are determined and fighting side by side with rescue workers to keep the streets dry,” the report noted.
The town, with a population exceeding 44,000, is facing one of the most severe flood situations in Poland, according to the Polish fire chief. Helicopters have been deployed during the day to aid in repairing the dam, as reported by various media outlets.
Gazeta Wyborcza highlighted the community’s collective effort, with increasing numbers of people joining the reinforcement work. “We are creating a human chain to pass sand and concrete elements to prevent the dike from collapsing,” Mayor Kordian Kolbiarz announced earlier. The mobilization of the townspeople has been effective in the fight against the flood threat, the newspaper reported.
Source: ISBnews and Gazeta Wyborcza
