Sandomierz. Photo: east news

A number of residents from Sandomierz, south-eastern Poland, are filing a joint case against the State Treasury over the alleged lack of measures taken to prevent the town from flooding.

The town, which lies on the Vistula river and whose right bank burst during floods there in May and June, was one of the most affected urban areas in Poland, with hundreds of people being forced to evacuate their homes.

In their case, the Sandomierz residents are refering to a document published in December 2009 by the Supreme Chamber of Control, the country’s highest auditing authority, which shows that the town had backlogs in the construction of its flood defences.

The class action also accuses the government of not offering any support since the floods took place.

Media reports that the residents are aware that the court case may last a ling time, but hope that their action will encourage other flood victims to follow suit.

Evacuation problems?

The prosecution in Sandomierz is looking into the case, and is also checking whether the residents’ evacuations were executed correctly.

The move comes after a number of bodies, between the ages of 50 and 88, were found floating in the flood water a number of days after the dykes burst in Sandomierz on the night of May 19.

Sources suggest that some residents in Sandomierz were not properly alerted to the flood by local authorities, and not informed about any impending evacuations.

Prosecutors in Sandomierz have not received any reports on the way the evacuations were handled, however. (jb)

Sources: PAP/Nasz Dziennik/Gazeta Wyborcza

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