Storms and Gales Hit Poland: Homes Flooded, Trees Down
Usagevpn.com – Storms and gales hit Poland with devastating force on Saturday, sending firefighters across the country into a relentless cycle of clearing toppled trees, reinforcing torn-open roofs, and draining water from inundated streets and basements. By 10:00 on Saturday, the State Fire Service confirmed more than 4,000 emergency call-outs logged since midnight. As a precaution against worsening conditions, 12 scout camps were ordered to evacuate their grounds.
Emergency Response and Camp Evacuations
“Participants and staff have been taken to permanent buildings,” Brigadier Karol Kroć of the State Fire Service told the Polish Press Agency, adding that no injuries had been reported at that point. By midnight, eight camps had already been cleared: one each in Lower Silesia and Małopolska, two in Mazovia, two in Wielkopolska, and two in Warmia and Masuria. After midnight, four additional camps in Łódź Voivodeship were evacuated as winds intensified.
Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed that the Territorial Defence Forces remain on heightened alert, ready to assist public administration and emergency services in managing the effects of dangerous weather phenomena.
In the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, the Provincial Fire Service Command in Toruń reported that the most frequent call-outs involved pumping water from basements, private properties, and streets, with comparatively fewer interventions for fallen trees and branches. Łódź Voivodeship saw a similar pattern: firefighters primarily addressed wind damage—fallen trees and broken limbs—alongside a handful of water-pumping operations, though no roofs were torn off.
“It wasn’t tragic, but reports are still coming in,” noted the duty officer at the Provincial Crisis Management Centre in Łódź. Compounding the difficulty, widespread power cuts left roughly 19,400 households without electricity. The hardest-hit areas were the Tomaszów Mazowiecki district (around 5,500 customers), Zgierz (4,400), and Piotrków Trybunalski (3,200).
Flooding, River Levels, and Power Outages
Overnight storms and heavy rainfall in Wielkopolska mainly toppled trees and produced local flooding of properties and basements. In Warmia and Masuria, firefighters logged more than 90 call-outs tied to heavy rain and strong winds, most of them involving water removal from roads, properties, and basements.
The overnight rainfall, which locally reached as much as 90 mm, also pushed river levels upward. The Regional Water Management Authority (RZGW) in Białystok reported that at the Olsztyn-Kortowo gauge the Łyna river exceeded its 160 cm warning level by 5 cm. In the Bartąg area, water overtopped embankments and spread across wasteland into the so-called encircling ditch, while allotment gardens in Olsztyn were flooded. By Saturday morning the RZGW indicated the Łyna situation was beginning to stabilise, with water levels gradually receding.
In Mazovia, the highest intervention counts were recorded in Warsaw and the districts of Piaseczno, Grójec, Pruszków, and Wołomin. “Reports are still coming in,” said Brigadier Łukasz Darmofalski of the Mazovian fire service, underscoring that the full scale of storm damage had yet to be assessed.
Public Advisories and Temporary Closures
Kampinos National Park urged residents and visitors to exercise particular caution amid the strong winds. “Avoid open spaces and places exposed to the wind. During strong gusts, do not stop under trees,” the park’s statement read, and it advised anyone planning a trail walk to check the latest forecasts and weather warnings before setting out.
The gardens of the Wilanów Palace Museum and the Royal Łazienki Park in Warsaw, along with Warsaw Zoo, were closed until further notice. On Saturday the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management issued storm warnings for the southwest of the country and strong-wind warnings for the Podlaskie, Mazovian, Łódź, and Warmian-Masurian Voivodeships. Strong gusts continued to affect the Warmian-Masurian, Pomeranian, Świętokrzyskie, and Lublin Voivodeships as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many emergency call-outs did Polish firefighters handle during the storms?
More than 4,000 call-outs were logged by the State Fire Service from midnight through 10:00 on Saturday, covering fallen trees, damaged roofs, and water pumping from flooded areas.
Were any scout camps evacuated, and why?
Twelve scout camps were evacuated as a precaution. Eight were cleared by midnight and four more after midnight in Łódź Voivodeship. Participants and staff were moved to permanent buildings; no injuries were reported.
How many households lost electricity, and where were the worst outages?
Around 19,400 households were without power. The largest outages affected the Tomaszów Mazowiecki area (≈5,500), Zgierz (≈4,400), and Piotrków Trybunalski (≈3,200).
Did any rivers exceed warning levels?
Yes. The Łyna river at the Olsztyn-Kortowo gauge exceeded its 160 cm warning level by 5 cm. Water overtopped embankments near Bartąg and flooded allotment gardens in Olsztyn, though levels were gradually falling by Saturday morning.
Which public spaces were closed due to the storms?
The gardens of the Wilanów Palace Museum, the Royal Łazienki Park, and Warsaw Zoo were all closed until further notice. Kampinos National Park remained open but issued strong-wind safety advisories.
