2024-09-23 15:13 update: 2024-09-24, 14:13
Photo: Fot. PAP/ Michał Meissner
The armed forces on Monday launched the 'Feniks' (Phoenix) operation aimed to support the reconstruction of Poland's southwestern regions ravaged by the ongoing floods.
According to previous announcements from the armed forces, Feniks is to focus on three areas: reconstruction of infrastructure, reducing the risk of flooding in the future and support of local residents.
As part of the operation, task groups involving Territorial Defence Forces as well as engineering and logistics troops will be created, and will act in coordination with central and local government administration.
Feniks will be focused on five "effort lines", the General Staff of the Armed Forces announced recently, including safety, health, mobility, logistics and training.
The activities will cover surveilling, securing and strengthening of anti-flood infrastructure, including provisional repairs of the damaged dykes, which despite lower water levels are prone to seepage and breaking.
"We will also support the police in monitoring property on the flood-affected areas," the armed forces also said.
Medical support is another part of the operation and is aimed to provide access to doctors, medical evacuation, vaccinations, access to psychological care and treatment of people suffering from the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Soldiers will also help in repairing roads and bridges and restoring power and water supplies.
Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, the defence minister, said last week that the Feniks operation is planned to last until the end of the year, but he also vowed that the troops will remain on the affected areas as long as necessary.
Currently, over 23,000 soldiers are involved in the flood response operation, Cezary Tomczyk, a deputy defence minister, said on Sunday. (PAP)
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