As residents of the Polish town of Glucholazy struggled to salvage what they could from their flood-ravaged homes on Wednesday, they praised friends, family and rescue workers for their help, but wondered if authorities could have done more.
One of scores of towns across central Europe to be hit by the worst flooding in at least two decades, Glucholazy has been left with residents' possessions strewn across the roads among piles of mud and other debris.
Maria Ciesla looked at the devastated remains of her home and reflected on what she had lost.
"I have grandchildren... toys that can't be saved," she told Reuters, her voice breaking up with emotion.
"I don't know, these little things are sometimes more important than the big things."
However, amid the devastation, she spoke warmly of the help she had received in the local community.
"I see there is hope," she said. "They serve dinners here... they provide water."
Others struck a more critical tone. Bronislaw Lesnik, a 75-year-old pensioner, said he was having difficulty getting help from his insurance provider and the local council.
"I asked (the mayor) to give me a digger, because there is at least 300 tons of sand here, if not more... we are alive, but there is no help from the city authorities yet," he said.
The Polish defence ministry said more than 14,000 soldiers had been deployed to flood-hit regions, as well as thousands of policemen and equipment. The prison service showed pictures of inmates helping to fortify floodwalls.
However, other Glucholazy residents complained about lack of preparations for the flood.
"The Czechs apparently already announced it on Monday, but nothing happened here. They had information there. I didn't see any preparations here, nothing," another resident, Elzbieta Prochop said.
