The Unlikely Heroes of Nysa: When Locals Ignored the Order to Flee

The small Polish city of Nysa was on high alert as Storm Boris wreaked havoc throughout central Europe. The city's mayor, Kordian Kolbiarz, issued a strict evacuation order, urging residents to leave their homes and belongings behind. However, instead of fleeing, many Nysa residents decided to stay and help save their city. The embankment, which kept the massive lake from overflowing, was in danger of collapse, and if it did, the city would be inundated with floodwaters over 10 feet high. Despite the warnings, hundreds of residents, including the city's professional men's volleyball team, rushed to the embankment to shore it up. They formed a human chain, passing sandbags along the lengthy chain as they worked through the rainy night. Their efforts paid off, as by the next day, the danger seemed to have passed, and disaster had been averted.