Brussels, updated 30th September 2024:
ADRAs help after the flood is in full swing. Thanks to the contributions of our generous donors, ADRA immediately started helping people affected by the flood.
ADRA is financially supporting families to repair destroyed houses as well as providing volunteer assistance in cleaning up the consequences of the floods. Specially trained teams also focus on psychosocial assistance to people who have been shaken by the events of recent days.
Thank you to everyone who helps with us.
We also want to thank all the volunteers involved across Romania, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria. Your hands on work cleaning houses, basements and gardens from heavy mud and debris is so appreciated and bringing hope to families affected by the flood.
How your donation helps
Financial assistance is still the most effective way to help us at the moment. For your 180 EUR, a family in Czech Republic receives cash assistance to help with renovating houses. Families in a first round of distributions in Romania receive urgent food items for the coming weeks, hygiene items and disinfectant to clean houses. Other activities are planned and underway at the moment as damages become more visible, houses accessible and ADRA can upscale its response.
In its first wave of response, ADRA Czech – asides from coordinating a big number of volunteers – supports families with Cash transfers to help with renovating of houses or buying most needed household items. ADRA Czech is also actively coordinating volunteers. There is always a need for people who can come to help, even on a weekday.
The webite to register for locations and for individual days can be found here:
ADRA Romania supports 200 families with big food parcels, drinking water bottles as well as hygiene items. Hundreds of volunteers from all across the country are engaged to clean houses, basements, gardens. Here is an update of their activities as per 23rd September:
The report from Romania as per 27th September: “Mission accomplished: 132,700 EUR, 4,268 people assisted, 945 volunteers, 151 vehicles, 12 days – a sign of ADRA’s solidarity with those affected by Cyclone Boris.
“The people from ADRA have been and continue to be by our side, for which I have deep respect” – Ștefan Luca, Mayor of Costache Negri Commune.
Between September 15 and 26, 2024, ADRA Romania carried out intense activities in support of communities affected by the floods. Through the “Hope Above the Waters” project, 4,268 people were assisted, Romanians in need due to the devastation caused by Cyclone Boris. This support was made possible thanks to the involvement of 945 active volunteers and collaboration with 132 trusted partners.
A donation of 128 tons of essential goods was facilitated through a partnership between ADRA Romania and the Seventh-day Adventist Church, with significant contributions from the Moldova and Bucovina, Muntenia and Dobrogea, Oltenia, South Transylvania, North Transylvania, Banat, and Crișana Conferences, as well as LOGS Group for Social Initiatives. The distributed goods included food, hygiene products, water, clothing, footwear, comforters, blankets, generators, pumps, dehumidifiers, water jets, and many other items, with a total value of 132,700 EUR.”
ADRA Poland has distributed a first delivery of 20 dehydrators to Jelenia Gora to help affected families dry and make their houses habitable again.
ADRA Austria thanks to received donations, can support the team of voluntary firefighters in Hoheneich with a new rescue rubber boat to continue their important work during disasters such as this flood. Volunteers have been engaged to help individuals affected by the flood for example to empty rooms in the basements that served as storage for pellets-heatings. The soaked wooden pellets needed to be removed urgently for safety reasons.
Being ready for disasters
While the floods came short notice, ADRA has used the past years to prepare for emergencies such as this. Miroslava Illetšková, Deputy Director of ADRA ČR describes:
“While during the first major floods in 1997 or 2002 we had to use paper and pencil for monitoring, we now have modern tools and a sophisticated system at our disposal, thanks to which we are able to distribute aid very effectively. Monitoring teams record the extent of damage in an App, from where it is automatically copied into tables, so we are able to quantify everything, set priorities and start distributing financial aid very quickly.”
Donate through your local ADRA office to help
You can support ADRAs flood response by donating through your local ADRA office Donate – Support ADRAs humanitarian efforts. | ADRA Europe
Updated 18 September 2024: Several countries across Europe are currently experiencing or experienced flood disasters.
In Czech Republic, our colleagues are assessing the situation and are offering assistance.
To support the response, you can donate here SOS ADRA: FLOODS CZECH REPUBLIC 2024 | Darujme.cz
What are we doing now, and what can you do? This was summarized in interviews by emergency assistance coordinator Josef Koláček: “I would recommend to everyone who wants to help in the affected areas to get in touch with the non-profit organizations that are coordinating volunteers. This is because mayors often have their hands full with infrastructure and other important tasks, and direct requests for help can unnecessarily burden them. It’s better to register through the forms provided by the non-profit organizations. This way, the aid is better organized, and we can offer volunteers support, such as accommodation in emergency gymnasiums. We also offer volunteers insurance in case of injury or damage.
The humanitarian aid phase is just beginning. Until yesterday, evacuations were still taking place, and water levels were either peaking or are yet to peak. In the upper streams, work will begin today or tomorrow, but in the lower streams, especially in the Moravian-Silesian Region, we expect the water to recede for a while longer. Once again, I would ask volunteers to follow information websites and social media from regional offices, the Fire Rescue Service, and non-profit organizations.
The most help will be needed with clearing out debris, but also with tasks like cleaning up around homes or gardens, which will be relevant in 14 days to three weeks. This will be just as important as the most urgent phase. Volunteers can help seniors and other vulnerable groups who cannot manage the repairs around their homes on their own. This assistance may be long-term.
As ADRA, we are involved in the South Bohemian Region and have some minor activities in the Liberec Region, where the situation is gradually stabilizing. We are currently providing the most support in the Moravian-Silesian Region, where we have the largest number of volunteer centers and branches. We are also preparing to assist in the Olomouc Region, specifically in the Jeseník area, where we have helped multiple times in the past.
Non-profit organizations and representatives of the Fire Rescue Service are regularly meeting, both at the national level and within individual regions. We have an agreement to divide the affected areas based on the number of impacted municipalities and the capacities of each organization. If volunteers are lacking in one area, we will relocate them from other areas.”
In Hungary, ADRA Hungary is on the hotspot! The Country Director Zoltan Sitkei reports he is at Százhalombatta, next to the river Danube, and on 18th September he instructed the local sandbag dam building.
In Austria, ADRA on 16th September swiftly decided to support a voluntary local firebrigade – the heroes in this situation – with a rescue rubber boat to rescue and evacuate trapped people. Here you find a full report: https://adra.at/hochwasser-oesterreich-osteuropa/ Other relief initiatives are in preparation.
In Romania, ADRA Romania is intervening swiftly to support victims of Cyclone Boris. Together with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, ADRA stands in solidarity with families devastated by floods. ADRA Romania is mobilizing quickly to intervene in these affected communities, providing emergency aid, including basic foodstuffs, hygiene products, drinking water, pumps for water evacuation and generators. Our volunteer teams are on the ground to distribute these resources and provide moral support to those affected.
Cyclone Boris caused devastating floods in the counties of Galați, Vaslui and Bacău, leaving behind significant damage, especially in Galați where 12 localities: Pechea, Drăgușeni, Grivița, Costache Negri, Berești, Slobozia Conachi, Cuza Vodă, Cudalbi, Corod, Tudor Vladimirescu, Băneasa and Vameș, were severely affected. More than 5,000 households were destroyed, 4 people lost their lives and more than 250 people were evacuated, according to data provided by the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (I.G.S.U.).
ADRA Romania is mobilizing quickly to intervene in these affected communities, providing emergency aid, including basic foodstuffs, hygiene products, drinking water, pumps for water evacuation and generators. Our volunteer teams are on the ground to distribute these resources and provide moral support to those affected.
Those who wish to get involved can do so in the following ways:
- volunteering;
- material donations (food, hygiene and cleaning products as well as building materials);
- financial donations into ADRA’s accounts (marked “Hope above the waters”);
- by donating directly on the website adra.ro/donate to the project “Hope above the waters”;
- donating right now 2 Euro by SMS to 8845 with the text “ADRA” (if you are in Romania)
ADRA Poland reports:
📣 The flood in Poland has not yet reached its peak❗ The ongoing battle against the element is taking a heavy toll, not only destroying people’s lifetime possessions but also threatening the lives and health of residents.
🫶 Join our fundraiser and help the flood victims:
🔸 https://www.siepomaga.pl/adra-powodz
🔸 https://www.adra.pl/jak-moge-pomoc/przekaz-darowizne/ (Include in the transfer description: Help for flood victims)
📌 The most at-risk areas remain in Opole and Lower Silesia. Urgent evacuations have been organized.
➡️ In the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, the highest alarm levels have been exceeded on the Oder and Nysa Kłodzka rivers.
➡️ Wrocław is preparing for the largest wave, expected on Thursday. According to city officials, a wave over six meters high, with a flow rate of 2,100-2,300 cubic meters per second, is expected to pass through Wrocław.
➡️ A difficult situation in Brzeg. The flood wave on the Oder has arrived, and evacuations are underway.
➡️ Opole expects the flood peak this evening. While the water is not expected to breach the levees, the highest alarm level is in place.
➡️ Lewin Brzeski has been cut off from the world. All roads leading to the town are flooded, and there is no power or phone service in Lewin itself.
😢 These are just a few of the tragic reports we’ve received. Unfortunately, hundreds, if not thousands, of cities, towns, and villages in southern Poland are fighting the floodwaters.
‼️ Our foundation has launched a fundraiser, and the funds raised will be used to help the flood victims. We hope that the aid we provide will restore even a small flame of hope.
💓 We thank all DONORS who have supported our fundraiser so far. Thank you for your generosity!
🔸 You can also make a traditional bank transfer to our account:
- PLN: 49 1240 1994 1111 0010 3092 3882
- USD: 22 1240 1994 1787 0010 3154 6385
- EUR: 58 1240 1994 1978 0010 3154 6372
- GBP: 64 1240 1994 1789 0010 3154 6402
- CHF: 42 1240 1994 1797 0010 3154 6398
Foundation details:
Fundacja ADRA Polska
ul. Kamieniecka 15
50-511 Wrocław
