Eastern Europe disasters point to weather changes
[Earth Times, 07/30/97]
by ROMAN ROLLNICK
ARSAW--For the people of Poland and the Czech Republic, it was unprecedented. Some 70 people dead, thousands of square kilometres of farmland under water, tens of thousands evacuated, emergency supplies delivered by boat to hundreds more trapped on rooftops and balconies.
The rains came with a vengeance, boulevards and streets turned into torrents, and the result was, in the words of Poland's Prime Minister, Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, the 3 worst natural disaster in centuries 2. Among the worst hit was Wroclaw, once the old German city of Breslau, now comfortably settled with its population of 700,000 in the heart of southern Poland. Thousands of citizens laboured willingly over last weekend to save historic areas, the priceless works of art and books in the collection of the Wroclaw University library, and animals in the zoo from waters that swamped much of the city to a depth of up to 1.5 meters.
Then they had to look after their families. Dozens lined up for bread and water distributed by the Red Cross in Kazimierz Pulaski Street, just at the edge of receding water.
"We could not get anything for two days, but now I have water, milk and two loaves of bread," said Krystyna Jarocka. The 68-year-old pensioner was bringing in groceries for four grandchildren waiting in her second-floor apartment around the corner. "At one point, the waters reached the first floor of our building. It has been a nightmare." Jacek Dobrowolski, a university student, said: "The view from our window is of a river down our street. Water has seeped into every building, and in many areas of the city people are unable to obtain fresh water and the electricity is cut."
The floods, caused by exceptionally heavy downpours early last week, struck dozens of towns and hundreds of villages. Some 11,000 people were evacuated near Glogow, 110km downstream of Wroclaw after the water level in the Oder river rose by six meters.
The floods also claimed 29 lives in the neighboring Czech Republic where 10,000 people were evacuated from the cities of Hodfonin and Breclav.
As the flood waters began to recede, the huge problems of the clear-up had to be faced. Cimoszewicz said it was "impossible to estimate rationally" the scale of destruction to urban infrastructure and farms which lost most of their livestock. Some 16 towns, 180 villages, and 1300 km of roads were under water at the height of the flood in Poland alone, and 150 bridges swept away.
Health authorities were broadcasting warnings about disease from contaminated water supplies. Cimoszewicz declared a national day of mourning on 18 July for the victims. Parliament decided to return from recess for a special sitting to amend around 25 laws, including this year's budget, partly to help raise money through borrowing for a rebuilding effort.
In the countryside, the emergency over, it was a question of clearing up and trying to get on with life again.
Oder Flood Waters Begin to Recede After 18 Days of Battle
[Korea Times, 08/04/97]
Water levels sank slowly but steadily and a new crack in the Oder River dike was kept under control Sunday, authorities said.
Authorities hoped that the worst might be over, but warned that the situation remained dangerous for the low-lying Oderbruch region.
``We are very far from an all-clear,'' said Manfred Kofferschlaeger, spokesman for the emergency team monitoring the situation.
A new crack was discovered late Sunday on the dike at Hohenwutzen, on the northern tip of the Oderbruch region, where the situation has been particularly critical.
Officials said the crack was about 30 meters (100 feet) long, two meters (6-foot-6) deep and five centimeters (two inches) wide.
Helicopters flew sandbags to the spot.
Following days of rainy, wet weather, the sun shone Sunday and temperatures were rising to summer levels. According to forecasts, dry weather should remain for some time.
The water levels were sinking along the entire Oder, especially upstream from the this city on the German-Polish border.
Officials said the river was subsiding very slowly, at some places losing only 13 centimeters (five inches) in the last 24 hours.
``The situation can quickly change,'' Kofferschlaeger said, ``but we are slowly gaining confidence.''
More than 10,000 soldiers and volunteers, including divers, remained on alert along the soggy dike, which had been cracking and crumbling since the floods began 18 days ago.
Thanks to the army and the volunteers, the dike has withstood the rain-swollen river against all expectations and protected tiny villages on the low-lying plain from inundation.
If the dike bursts, thousands of homes in the Oderbruch plain would be flooded and the soldiers themselves could be swept away in the muddy water of Central Europe's worst flood in 200 years.
About 13,500 people have been evacuated over the past 10 days in the 55-kilometer (40-mile) long Oderbruch.
The north-flowing Oder forms a natural border between parts of Poland and Germany. About 100 people have been killed in Poland and the Czech Republic in the floods.