Severe Storms Across Poland Damage Infrastructure and Disrupt Travel

Violent storms swept through Poland on Sunday, prompting over 1,500 emergency interventions, damaging a concert stage, causing flight diversions, and injuring five people after a tree fell onto a horse-drawn carriage.

State of Alert and Firefighter Response

The Institute of Meteorology and Water Management issued warnings for 15 provinces on Sunday, forecasting heavy rainfall and wind gusts of up to 100 km/h. RCB alerts were subsequently issued for ten provinces.

The State Fire Service reported over 1,500 storm-related incidents by 8:00 PM on Sunday. The highest number of reports came from the Małopolskie (620), Śląskie (370), and Lubelskie (227) provinces.

Casualties and Incident Reports

In Targanice, a tree collapsed onto a horse-drawn carriage carrying twelve people, resulting in injuries to five adults. According to Capt. Hubert Ciepły, spokesperson for the Małopolska fire service, the victims are not in life-threatening condition.

In Łowczówek, a severe storm forced the cancellation of a concert by Patrycja Markowska after high winds damaged the stage, creating a risk of collapse.

Aviation and Transit Disruptions

Travel to Kraków-Balice Airport faced delays due to the weather. Two flights—one from Brussels and one from Pisa—were diverted to Poznań and Wrocław, respectively, with passengers transported to Kraków by coach.

Airport spokesperson Monika Chylaszek noted that pilots made the decisions to divert based on atmospheric conditions. Disruptions caused by heavy rainfall lasted approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

Damage in Silesia and Lubelskie

In Bielsko-Biała, firefighters responded to over 90 calls involving broken trees, one of which struck a public bus. In Żywiec, the water rescue service (WOPR) reported two capsized boats on Lake Żywieckie, with further operations conducted on Lake Międzybrodzkie.

In the Lubelskie region, the provincial fire service recorded significant flooding. The Biała district reported 127 calls, mostly for pumping water from buildings, while the Kraśnik and Włodawa districts reported dozens of additional incidents involving flooded structures and wind-damaged trees.