1997 Central European flood


The 1997 Central European flood or the 1997 Oder Flood of the Oder and Morava river basins in July 1997 affected Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany, taking the lives of 114 people and causing material damages estimated at $4.5 billion. 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 country's history, it was named the Millennium Flood. The term was also used in Germany. The event has also been referred to as the Great Flood of 1997.

Causes

Southwestern Poland and the northeastern Czech Republic experienced two periods of extensive rainfall, first occurring 3–10 July and second 17–22 July. The precipitation was caused by a Genoa low pressure system, which moved from northern Italy to Moravia and Poland. The unusual development occurred when a field of higher air pressure between the Azores Islands and Scandinavia was blocked. The center of low pressure remained over southern Poland for a long period of time.
The precipitation was very high, measuring, and corresponded to several months' average rainfall over a few days. Water levels rose above previously recorded averages and were so high that they caused the water to flow over existing measurement poles. It was one of the heaviest periods of rainfall in recorded history. It was dubbed the Millennium Flood because a likelihood of such a flood in a particular year was estimated at 0.1%, i.e. one event per thousand years.

Floods

Flooding began on 5 July in the Czech Republic and spread to Poland on 6 July. Those early floods were very rapid flash floods. In Poland, the first settlements flooded were located around Prudnik and Głuchołazy, and were visited by Polish Prime Minister Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz on 7 July. Flooding spread rapidly from Chałupki to Racibórz. In Kłodzko several buildings dating back a few hundred years 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. Left-bank Opole was flooded on 10 July, Wrocław and Rybnik on 12 July, and Głogów soon after. The rising waters slowed by the time they reached the Polish-German border, allowing more time for preparations; the damages were thus much lower.
On 18 July, Polish president Aleksander Kwaśniewski declared a day of national mourning.

Water levels

Water levels recorded on the Oder river in the flood period:
LocationOder-kmMaximum water level
Date

Fatalities and damages

The flood caused the deaths of 114 people and material damages estimated at $4.5 billion.
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, 4,000 bridges, of roads and of railways. In total, were affected in Poland. The losses were estimated at 7.4-11.3 billion Polish zlotys. The historic town of Kłodzko sustained damages equivalent to 50 years of its annual budget.
In the Czech Republic, 2,151 flats and 48 bridges were destroyed. 538 villages and towns were affected. The losses were estimated at 63 billion Czech crowns. The town of Troubky was most severely affected.
In Germany there were no fatalities.

Responses

Government responses in the Czech Republic and Poland were criticized. 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.
Numerous charities provided aid to those affected by the floods.

In popular culture

In the wake of the floods in 1997, Polish rock band Hey released the song Moja i twoja nadzieja. All proceeds from the sale of the single went towards victims of the floods. Hey also brought together a group of the most prominent Polish singers at the time to record a cover of the song for charity-. Also in 1997, Hey released the album , containing five versions of the song - Hey's original single, the '97 version, an instrumental cover, an acoustic cover, and a jazz interpretation.
In October 2022, Netflix released High Water, a Polish-language six-episode limited series inspired by the 1997 flood. Set in Wrocław, Poland, it depicts the lead-up to the floods and reactions by the city and regional authorities, as well as inhabitants of surrounding villages. Although directors Jan Holoubek and Bartłomiej Ignaciuk emphasised that the series was not a documentary, they have been praised for the authenticity of the series.