1997 Central European flood
File:CisekMemoryStone.jpg | |
Date | July 1997 |
---|---|
Location | Czech Republic, Poland, Germany |
Deaths | 105-115 (55 in Poland, 50-60 in the Czech Republic) |
Property damage | $4.5 billion |
The 1997 Central European flood or the 1997 Oder Flood of the Oder and Morava river basins in July 1997 affected Poland, Germany, and the Czech Republic, taking the lives of about 100 people[1] (in the Czech Republic and Poland) and causing material damages estimated at $4.5 billion (3.8 billion euros in the Czech Republic and Poland and 330 million euros in Germany). The flooding began in the Czech Republic, then spread to Poland and Germany. In Poland, where it was one of the most disastrous floods in the history of that country,[2][3] it was named the Millennium Flood (Powódź tysiąclecia).[3] The term was also used in Germany (Jahrtausendflut).[4] The flood has also been referred to as the Great Flood of 1997.[3][5]
Contents
Causes
Southwestern Poland and the northern Czech Republic experienced two periods of extensive rainfall, the first occurring 3–10 July and the second 17–22 July.[3][6] The precipitation was caused by a Genoa low pressure system, which moved from northern Italy to Moravia and Poland. The unusual development occurred when the field of higher air pressure between the Azores Islands and Scandinavia was blocked. The center of the low pressure remained over southern Poland for a long period.[3]
The precipitation was very high, measuring 300–600 millimetres (12–24 in), and corresponded to several months' average rainfall over a few days.[2] The waters rose 2–3 m above the previously recorded averages[2] and were so high that they flooded over standing measurement poles. It was one of the heaviest rainfalls in the recorded world's history.[5] It was dubbed the Millennium Flood because the likelihood of such a flood in a particular year was estimated at 0.1%.[7]
Floods
Flooding began on July 5 in the Czech Republic and spread to Poland on July 6. Those early floods were very rapid flash floods (water levels rose by up to four meters in half a day).[3] In Poland, the first towns flooded were located around Głuchołazy, and were visited by Polish Prime Minister Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz on July 7.[5] Flooding spread rapidly from Chałupki to Racibórz. In Kłodzko several buildings dating back a few hundred years (kamienica) collapsed; on 8 July the flood reached Krapkowice. In the second stage of the flood, the flood wave flowed down through the Oder river, submerging successive towns in the area.[3] Left-bank Opole was flooded on July 10, Wrocław and Rybnik on July 12, and Głogów soon after. The rising waters slowed by the time they reached the Polish-German border (the Oder-Neisse line), allowing more time for preparations; the damages were thus much lower.[3]
On 18 July, Polish president Aleksander Kwaśniewski declared a day of national mourning.[8]
Water levels
Water levels recorded on the Oder river in the flood period:[9]
Location | Oder-km | Maximum water level [cm] |
Date |
---|---|---|---|
Poland Racibórz Miedonia | 55.5 | 1045 | 1997-07-09 |
Poland Ujście Nysy | 180.5 | 768 | 1997-07-10 |
Poland Rędzin | 261.1 | 1030 | 1997-07-13 |
Poland Brzeg Dolny | 284.7 | 970 | 1997-07-13 - 1997-07-14 |
Poland Malczyce | 304.8 | 792 | 1997-07-14 - 1997-07-15 |
Poland Ścinawa | 331.9 | 732 | 1997-07-15 |
Poland Głogów | 392.9 | 712 | 1997-07-16 |
Poland Nowa Sól | 429.8 | 681 | 1997-07-16 |
Poland Cigacice | 471.3 | 682 | 1997-07-19 |
Poland Połęcko | 530.3 | 595 | 1997-07-24 |
Germany Ratzdorf | 542.5 | 691 | 1997-07-24 |
Germany Eisenhüttenstadt | 554.1 | 717 | 1997-07-24 |
Germany Frankfurt/Oder | 584.0 | 657-656 | 1997-07-27 |
Poland Słubice | 584.1 | 637 | 1997-07-27 |
Germany Kietz | 614.8 | 653 | 1997-07-27 - 1997-07-28 |
Germany Kienitz | 633.0 | 628 | 1997-07-24 |
Poland Gozdowice | 645.3 | 659 | 1997-07-31 - 1997-08-01 |
Germany Hohensaaten-Finow | 664.9 | 729 | 1997-07-31 |
Germany Hohensaaten Ostschleuse OP (Oderseite) |
667.2 | 805 | 1997-07-31 |
Poland Bielinek | 673.5 | 712 | 1997-07-31-1997-08-01 |
Germany Stützkow | 680.5 | 1009 | 1997-07-29 |
Germany Schwedt Oderbrücke | 690.6 | 886 | 1997-08-02 |
Germany Schwedt Schleuse OP (Oderseite) |
697.0 | 840 | 1997-08-01 - 1997-08-02 |
Poland Widuchowa | 701.8 | 760 | 1997-08-02 - 1997-08-03 |
Germany Gartz (Oder) | 8,0 | 698 | 1997-08-01 - 1997-08-02 |
Germany Mescherin | 14.1 | 672 | 1997-08-03 |
Poland Gryfino | 718.5 | 649 | 1997-08-03 |
Germany Ückermünde | Oderhaff | 536 | 1997-08-06 |
Fatalities and damages
The flood caused the deaths of 105-115 people (55 in Poland,[10][11] 50[12]-60[13] in the Czech Republic) and material damages estimated at $4.5 billion[14] (3.8 billion euros in the Czech Republic and Poland and 330 million euros in Germany).
In Poland, it is estimated that 7,000 people lost all of their possessions. 9,000 private businesses were affected and 680,000 houses were damaged or destroyed. The flood also damaged 843 schools (100 destroyed), 4,000 bridges (45 destroyed), 14,400 km of roads, 2,000 km of railways. In total, 665.835 hectares were affected in Poland (an estimated 2% of Polish total territory).[2][15] The losses were estimated at 63 billion Polish zloties (or US$2.3-3.5 billion at the 1997 levels[2]). The town of Kłodzko sustained damages equivalent to 50 years of its annual budget.[3][3]
In the Czech Republic, there were 50 fatalities[5] (another source gives 60[13]). 2151 flats and 48 bridges were destroyed.[16] 538 villages and towns were affected.[5] The losses were estimated at 63 billion Czech korunas.[5] The town of Troubky was most severely affected.
In Germany there were no fatalities.[17]
Responses
Government responses in Czech Republic and Poland were criticized.[5] The flood revealed various inadequacies in decision making and infrastructure, although the unprecedented magnitude of the disaster was seen by some as a mitigating factor.[2][3]
Numerous charities provided aid to those affected by the floods.[18]
See also
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Roman Konieczny. Paweł Madej. Małgorzata Siudak. Local Flood Hazard Reduction Plans in Poland - Problems and Perspectives. In Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 Zbigniew W. Kundzewicz. Summer 1997 Flood in Poland in Perspective. In Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Martin Doring. The Politics of Nature: Constructing the German Reunification during the Great Odra Flood 1997 in Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 K. Szamalek. The Great Flood of 1997 in Poland: The Truth and Myth. In Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ (German) Studien und Tagungsberichte, Schriftenreihe des Landesumweltamtes Brandenburg. Band 16 - Das Sommerhochwasser an der Oder 1997 - Fachbeiträge anläßlich der Brandenburger Ökologietage II. Potsdam. Marz 1997
- ↑ (Polish) Przemysław Berg, Czy grozi nam powódź: Widmo Wielkiej Wody, Polityka, 21 lutego 2010
- ↑ (Polish) Zarządzenie Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej z dnia 15 lipca 1997 r. w sprawie opuszczenia flagi państwowej Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej. M.P. 1997 nr 42 poz. 423
- ↑ Studien und Tagungsberichte, Schriftenreihe des Landesumweltamtes Brandenburg. Band 16 - Das Sommerhochwasser an der Oder 1997 - Fachbeiträge anläßlich der Brandenburger Ökologietage II. Potsdam. Marz 1997
- ↑ (Polish) ZBIGNIEW W. KUNDZEWICZ, MACIEJ ZALEWSKI, ANDRZEJ KĘDZIORA, EDWARD PIERZGALSKI, Zagrożenia związane z wodą, NAUKA 4/2010 • 87-96
- ↑ Zbigniew W. Kundzewicz. Summer 1997 Flood in Poland in Perspective. In Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Pavel Punchchar, Marek Mata, and Daniel Pokorny. Improvement of Flood Protection in Czech Republic in Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Jaromir Riha. Dams and floods in the Czech Republic. In Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ (Polish) Jerzy Grela, Henryk Słota, Jan Zieliński (editors). 1999. Dorzecze Wisły. Monografia Powodzi lipiec 1997. Instytut Meteorologii i Gospodarki Wodnej. ISBN 83-85176-68-3
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
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