Residents of Polish Town Affected by Flood Hope to Make Homes Livable by Winter

By Kuba Stezycki and Kacper Pempel

STRONIE SLASKIE, Poland – As the waters receded in Stronie Slaskie, one of the regions significantly impacted by severe flooding in southwest Poland, residents and volunteers began the cleanup process, hoping their homes would become livable again before winter arrives.

The mountain town, home to about 5,000 residents, experienced extensive flooding after a dam burst last weekend, during Central Europe’s worst floods in over twenty years. This disaster has resulted in billions of dollars in damages and claimed at least 24 lives.

Miroslaw Wegrzyn, 67, owner of the "Ice Cool" ice cream shop for three decades, recounted how the water rose above his door. After retreating, he discovered his establishment was filled with mud, dislodged machinery, and hundreds of ice sticks.

"A wave almost three meters high came here, and when the dam broke, it swept everything away," he said, expressing uncertainty about whether he would rebuild his shop, especially since he lacked insurance.

The floodwaters obliterated homes and vehicles, leaving streets littered with mud, rubble, and debris.

"We have to rebuild. Slowly rebuild and hope for favorable weather and a delayed winter," said Grzegorz Ukrainski, a 42-year-old businessman from Opole who volunteered to assist in the cleanup efforts in Stronie Slaskie.