Flood 2024: The Road to Recovery
The catastrophic flood of 2024 devastated homes, bridges, and infrastructure in many towns across southern Poland. Our mission is to help flood survivors return to normalcy—a task that presents numerous challenges. While the water has receded, the impact of the disaster remains severe, and support is still needed in the affected areas. We have undertaken long-term initiatives to restore the victims’ ability to live normal, peaceful lives.
What is the Situation?
The flood that hit Poland in 2024 directly affected 2.38 million residents across over 749 localities in three voivodeships. The disaster struck particularly hard in Lower Silesia, where 11,502 buildings, including schools, kindergartens, and medical facilities, were damaged. The flood forced the evacuation of 6,544 people, and nearly 57,000 residents lost access to essential services and goods, such as medication, medical equipment, and transportation.
The greatest needs are in the municipalities of Lądek-Zdrój and Stronie Śląskie, where the highest number of victims resides. Access to healthcare is especially strained in these areas, with a shortage of doctors and nurses, and primary healthcare centers (POZ) struggling with staffing and material shortages. Winter poses an additional challenge, as residents require warm clothing, bedding, heating fuel, and basic hygiene products to endure the season in dignified conditions.
What Are We Doing?
We have been providing medical aid since the onset of the flood crisis. Our efforts include both immediate and long-term support.
- Mobile Medical Support. We established mobile clinics that operate 4–5 days a week, reaching areas with limited access to medical assistance. Each clinic is staffed with doctors, nurses, and psychologists. They provide medical consultations, psychological support, and vaccinations to protect residents from health risks caused by living in flooded areas (e.g., tetanus). Elderly people, children, and pregnant women are receiving essential care.
- Collaboration with Local Primary Healthcare Centers (POZ). We are supporting three POZ facilities in Lądek-Zdrój and Stronie Śląskie, which were heavily affected by the flood. This includes providing medical equipment and consumables such as bandages, plasters, antipyretics, analgesics, and anti-inflammatory medications. Patients also have access to care from doctors, nurses, and paramedics.
- Distribution of Medicines and Equipment. We deliver small medical devices such as glucometers, blood pressure monitors, and disinfectants to help chronically ill patients. This support will benefit at least 10 medical facilities and hundreds of individual patients.
- Winter Assistance. We have prepared kits containing warm clothing, footwear, blankets, bedding, and school supplies for children. This aid will reach at least 8,000 people. If necessary, support will also be provided in the form of shopping vouchers, based on lists provided by local authorities and crisis centers.
We were able to provide free psychological care for flood victims in Lądek-Zdrój thanks to the support of the EEA and Norway Grants. Every donation helps us achieve our goals – from purchasing medical equipment to funding logistical operations, such as transporting mobile clinics or delivering medicines.
Through a thorough needs assessment and monitoring system, we are responding in real-time, adapting our support to the evolving situation. Our project involves doctors, nurses, psychologists, coordinators, inspectors, and specialists in monitoring and logistics.
Gallery
Floods in southern Poland
2024-2025, Poland
Providing medical assistance in connection with the flood in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship
Partner
Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area 2014-2021 and Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021