Building suppliers asked to lower prices for storm victims
PR dla Zagranicy
Victoria Bieniek
22.08.2017 08:30
Poland's infrastructure minister has asked building suppliers to lower their prices for people rebuilding their homes after storms tore through the country, as public officials and charities rally behind those who were most affected by the foul weather.
Poland's Red Cross sends aid to Poland's north. Photo: PAP/Jan Dzban.
On 11 and 12 August, violent winds and torrential rain wreaked havoc in Poland's north, killing six people, damaging thousands of buildings and destroying thousands of hectares of forests.
Infrastructure Minister Andrzej Adamczyk said rebuilding would require particular financial and organisational effort to meet higher-than-usual demand.
He added that the government would transport building materials to where they were most needed at no charge.
Meanwhile, the interior and defence ministries have sent firefighters and military personnel to Poland's north, and charities are fundraising and collecting goods to help people get back on their feet.
The government has already handed out more than PLN 40 million in aid, while insurers may have to pay out some PLN 400 million (EUR 93.5 million) on the 50-70 percent of properties that were insured, according to Poland's Rzeczpospolita daily.
The paper added that, according to estimates, the gales destroyed 3,688 buildings and devastated about 44,500 hectares of forest.
Damage to the power supply system alone is estimated at up to PLN 200 million (EUR 46.8 million, USD 55 million), according to the paper. (vb)
Source: IAR