In September 2024, the south of Poland survived the largest flood in two decades. In the Kłodzko Valley, Nysa and Jelenia Góra, water entered hundreds of houses and premises, and the services fought for embankments and bridges for many days. The element did not spare public institutions and banks. We asked what losses they suffered and how they helped the victims.
Despite the dramatic paintings from the floodplain areas, the banking sector has not been paralyzed. The most serious damage concerned individual facilities and cash infrastructure. After another flooding of the historic branch in Kłodzko, PKO Bank Polski decided to transfer its activity to the independent zone. In Jelenia Góra, where the water got into the rooms of the lower floor, the branch returned to work on October 10, 2024, and in Głuchołazy after modernization – on November 29, 2024, mBank closed the Kłodzko branch and for now does not plan to open it again; He directs clients to Nysa, Wałbrzych and Świdnica and to remote channels. BNP Paribas did not record damage in the wards, but the wave flooded or cut off 35 ATMs, which for a moment limited access to cash.
One Bank Pekao branch in Nysa suffered directly. They were flooded, while the operational part remained intact. The bank accelerated the planned relocation of the branch to the new premises in the latest standard. In addition, there were local damage in 13 other facilities after the rain and overload of the sewage system; After technical reviews, all of them quickly resumed. In turn, Bank Poczta confirmed that his facility in Nysa suffered – after revitalization she returned to normal action after 2-3 weeks.
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Credit Agricole summarizes this period unequivocally: “None of our facility (neither our own nor partner) has suffered in flood 2024.” However, several points were temporarily closed for operational reasons: lack of electricity, internet or access to teams. In turn, Santander Bank Polska talks about individual floods limited to basements that have been quickly removed. Alior Bank informs that the flood bypassed its network and did not cause damage to the facilities.
Moratory and repayment holidays: Fast “Breath window”
The key tool of financial support was a sector non -statutory moratorium – a solution developed by banks based on Pandemic experience. It enabled the temporary postponement of the loan repayment to customers affected by the effects of floods, without a fee for an annex and without providing additional documents – on a statement. In practice, this meant suspension of installments up to a maximum of three months.
Credit Agricole implemented them to an full extent for individual clients, farmers and small companies, supplementing with intensive SMS communication and simplified procedures with the insurer from the group. ING Bank Śląski allowed from October 15 to postpone repayments in consumer, mortgage and company loans as well as in leasing and factoring, BNP Paribas and Velobank implemented analogous paths, including also micro -entrepreneurs and farmers. Cooperative banks of the BPS and SGB associations offered a suspension to three installments and flexible limits.
PEKAO launched on October 4 “SOS Package” for individual clients and companies, with repayments suspensions up to three months and shifting the dates of the Prolongat limits. From October 7, people from flooded real estate located in areas covered by the state of natural disaster could submit applications for non -returnable support from the Borrowing Support Fund – up to the equivalent of 12 housing loans.
Santander Bank Polska in parallel offered its own solutions, as well as those based on the government's memorandum: postponement of mortgage and cash loan installments, exemptions from selected fees (e.g. for annexes) and returns of fees for payments from foreign ATMs in areas covered by the state of lively disaster. Alior Bank has joined the sectoral moraratorium, providing temporary postponement for installment products, simplified renewals in renewable products and the possibility of using FWK in mortgage loans.
The first days after the culmination of the wave were an organization test. BNP Paribas temporarily abolished commissions for payments from national ATMs in flooded areas and informed SMSs about the status of institutions and substitute points. PKO BP and Velobank transferred service to temporary locations, and where necessary, containers started. In practice, it was fast messages, easy access to cash and efficient mobile banking maintained customers “on the surface”, even when the branch door was closed. Credit Agricole completed this package with insurance reminders and direct contact of advisers with the victims.
Donations, volunteering and social support
On the social assistance side, banks have launched broad support. The PKO Bank Polski Foundation, using the “Matching Fund” mechanism, collected PLN 11.2 million. The funds went to, among others to the TSO, cultural and school institutions and for “green schools” for over 5,200 children from flooded towns. In the application, mBank launched “Blue heart” in cooperation with the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity – customers paid over PLN 5 million, and the bank added PLN 1 million. Cooperative Banks BPS and SGB added nearly PLN 3 million, including PLN 2.5 million for the Polish Red Cross for the reconstruction of schools, social welfare homes and club rooms.
Credit Agricole, EFL, CA Ubezpieczenia and Amundi Polska jointly donated 500 thousand. PLN on the account of the Polish humanitarian campaign. Employees of all companies could volunteer five days of work and actively supported activities in endangered and flooded towns – from ad hoc interventions to logistics and cleaning. Importantly, the bank also included customers: the “charity transfer” function has long been operating in the application. Throughout 2024, customers made 3,516 such transfers for a total amount of PLN 201,931.46, and September – the month of flood – was record -breaking in terms of activity.
Bank Pocztowy, in addition to the quick reconstruction of the Nysa institution, transferred a donation to the Poczta Polska Foundation for the support of the employees of the group affected by the effects of the element. At Bank Pekao, volunteering worked strongly as part of the 10th edition of the “We are close” competition: volunteers delivered dehumidifiers, renewed the flooded rooms of schools and kindergartens, helped hospices and shelters, organized classes for children and material collections in offices, including in the Forest complex.
Santander Bank Polska allocated PLN 1 million to help, and together with the collection of the Santander Foundation – PLN 1.5 million was sent to the Polish Red Cross for the purchase of equipment for removing the effects of floods. Bank volunteers organized the transport of gifts, dehumidifiers, aggregates and cleaning products, and also prepared hygiene packages for families. Alior Bank financially supported the WOŚP activities related to the fight against the effects of the flood, organized collections of the most necessary things, launched a assistance fund for employees from flooded areas with grants up to 5,000. PLN and included teams in numerous volunteer actions.
Flood conclusions
Three conclusions for customers are legible. First of all, digital banking and clear communication save everyday life when the unit has a closed door. Secondly, moratory and short “holidays” in repayments act like a fuse – they give three months to embrace life without a bureaucratic anguish. Thirdly, departments networks move up the risk maps: relocations from floodplains – like in Kłodzko – this is not an exception, but a new normality.
The 2024 flood balance in banking is a mosaic of local damages, quick renovations and long -term decisions. Bank Pekao and Bank Pocztowy recorded losses in Nysa, Santander collided with the incidental flooding of the basement, and Alior went through the crisis without harm to the network. At the level of financial support, there were moraratories, banking packages and – in certain cases – the borrowers' support fund. At the same time, customers and volunteers – from Santander to Alior and Credit Agricole – collected millions of zlotys and thousands of working hours.
Summer 2004 reminds that the south of the country lives in a constant risk of signs. Naval rains in Podkarpackie then caused numerous flooding, including on Wisłok, Jasiołka and their tributaries. The scale was smaller than in 1997 or 2010, but the lesson is the same: investments in flood protection and continuity plans must be a permanent element of local politicians.
