Warsaw mayor Rafał Trzaskowski has urged the public to use public transport instead of their own cars after torrential rain brought severe flooding to the capital.
Residents woke on Tuesday morning to find large swathes of the city under water, with garages, basements, and major roads impassable.
The worst affected area was in the north of the city, which saw a deluge of 120 liters of water per square meter in 24 hours.
Dramatic videos posted online show half-submerged and abandoned cars littering one of Warsaw’s major expressways, while others show people wading through water-clogged streets.
Posting on X, Trzaskowski said: “We are coordinating ground public transport with the police so that it avoids places inaccessible due to flooding.
“Avoid flooded places and choose [public transport] today. At night, we held a joint meeting with representatives of the fire department, police and the city.
“We are in ongoing contact and are working to remove the effects of the downpour as soon as possible.”
Police and firefighters worked through the night as they responded to over 800 calls from helpless residents.
A police spokesman said on Tuesday morning: “Police officers are still helping all those who suffered as a result of the deluge and need immediate assistance.
“Police officers are also informing residents of buildings in which underground garages were flooded to move their cars out of them if possible, because the water level may still rise.”
The capital’s flooding comes as severe storms wreaked havoc across the country, with Monday to Tuesday seeing over 2,900 interventions by firefighters.
The worst affected area was in the north of the city, which saw a deluge of 120 liters of water per square meter in 24 hours.
Dramatic videos posted online show half-submerged and abandoned cars littering one of Warsaw’s major expressways, while others show people wading through water-clogged streets.
Trasa S8 w Warszawie nadaje się dzisiaj do testowania łódek. Na wysokości ulicy Mickiewicza strażacy wypompowują wodę i próbują udrożnić instalacje burzową. @RadioZET_NEWS pic.twitter.com/tzfpcKSOhf
— Michał Makowski (@chillmaku) August 20, 2024
Posting on X, Trzaskowski said: “We are coordinating ground public transport with the police so that it avoids places inaccessible due to flooding.
“Avoid flooded places and choose [public transport] today. At night, we held a joint meeting with representatives of the fire department, police and the city.
“We are in ongoing contact and are working to remove the effects of the downpour as soon as possible.”
Police and firefighters worked through the night as they responded to over 800 calls from helpless residents.
A police spokesman said on Tuesday morning: “Police officers are still helping all those who suffered as a result of the deluge and need immediate assistance.
“Police officers are also informing residents of buildings in which underground garages were flooded to move their cars out of them if possible, because the water level may still rise.”
The capital’s flooding comes as severe storms wreaked havoc across the country, with Monday to Tuesday seeing over 2,900 interventions by firefighters.
Source: PAP/TVN24
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