The flood, paralyzing the lives of Poles in several provinces, may affect both retail sales and industrial output results, BNP Paribas Fortis economist Marcin Mroz says.

However, the economist stresses that Poland's economic situation is quite good as at the same time the economy recorded pay rises in real terms and as Poles consider their financial situation as positive and their propensity to purchase is improving.

Pekao bank economist Wojciech Matysiak expects May economic indices to get worse not because of the flood but because Poles will have to pay higher installments of loans taken in foreign currencies as the zloty is weakening to major currencies.

As June, July and August are traditionally weak from the point of view of retail sales, Poland's H1 GDP growth may be hampered, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna daily says.