The Polish government today declared a state of disaster - a legal measure aimed at to make government support more effective for regions in the south of the country affected by floods, Polish news agency PAP reported, quoted by BTA.
Cabinet held an emergency meeting this morning to discuss the details of the planned ordinance.
The state of emergency will affect parts of southwestern Dolnośląskie and Opolskie and Śląskie voivodships in the south, according to the decree, which came into force this afternoon after publication in the State Gazette. It will remain in effect until October 16.
„Every day we will be ready to extend it to other voivodships or municipalities, if we assume that the disaster situation will help the protection and rescue activities,” said Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
The decree allows the following restrictions on human and civil rights and freedoms: obligation to vacate or secure premises, evacuation orders, orders or prohibition to remain in a certain place and restriction of certain ways of movement.
Southern Poland was hit by devastating floods over the weekend that damaged homes, bridges, roads and other infrastructure.
About 2,600 people were evacuated overnight, Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kośniak-Kamisz announced this morning.
The fire service, the police and the army are participating in rescue operations in the affected areas.
Poland's National Hydrological and Meteorological Service reported this morning that 92 hydrological stations in the country have declared an alert, while 34 have issued warnings.
Jacek Dobrzynski, spokesman for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, told the media today that the floods have led to deaths.
„So far we have information about four deaths, but I do not want to generalize that the floods are the cause of all these deaths,”, he stated.