Exactly 25 years ago, Gdańsk experienced one of the most devastating disasters in its modern history. On the night of July 9 to 10, 2001, a downpour hit the city, later referred to as the «flood of the century.» In just a few hours, 127.7 mm of precipitation fell per square meter — twice the amount usually recorded for the entire month of July.
The Radunia Canal, unregulated for many years, could not handle the volume of water, and it flooded the surrounding areas. The hardest hit were Orunia and Św. Wojciecha, with water also reaching Wrzeszcz and Olszynka.
Hundreds of buildings were damaged, thousands of basements were flooded, and 650 apartments were completely destroyed. Some residents were evacuated to schools, barracks, and a homeless shelter. About 5,000 people received a "flood victim card" for social assistance
The disaster claimed the lives of four people: three died from heart attacks, and the fourth drowned in a car.
The water flooded the station and tracks, train services were halted, passengers could not exit trams, and cars floated down the streets
More than a thousand soldiers and firefighters, supported by police and border guards, battled the aftermath. The damage to infrastructure was estimated at 200 million zlotys
Today, Gdańsk is implementing investments in flood protection to prevent such a tragedy from occurring again
