In the past 30 years, floods have affected 5.5 million people in the European Union, causing 3,000 deaths and more than €170 billion in economic damage.Storm Boris left a trail of destruction in September across central Europe.
Around 30 people lost their lives. Nine people died in Poland, and over 6,500 people were evacuated. More than 11,500 homes were damaged.
On September 15th 2024, the dam close to the southwestern towns of Stronie and Lądek-Zdrój burst after days of heavy rain. Local resident Zbigniew Rakoczky has been checking what could be saved from his parents’ in-law’s house.
They had lived there for over 30 years, just metres away from the river. “We could go back only two days after the flood. What we found was similar to the pictures from the war in Ukraine, but without shooting,” he said.