The death toll from flooding caused by torrential rain in Poland rose to 15 Monday as major rivers swelled to levels unseen in more than a century, a national fire brigade spokesman told selfnews. Interior Minister Jerzy Miller said flood levels on the Vistula, the country's largest river, were 'worse than expected', raising the risk that flood defences around the capital could burst. Flood waters on the Vistula and another major river, the Oder, 'are at a level unseen since 1884' and have inundated hundred of thousands of hectares (acres), fire brigade spokesman Pawel Fratcak said. 'The death toll has risen to 15,' he added. In Warsaw, a major road running the length of the Vistula was closed to traffic Monday due to fears that flood defences would give way. Around 200 schools were closed Monday in districts of the capital near the river. Defences have already given way near the south-eastern town of Sandomierz and in Plock, central Poland, causing flooding in several locations in those regions. Thousands have been evacuated across the country, but according to Fratczak thousands more have refused to leave their homes regardless of the risk posed by rising flood waters. Rescue teams from Germany, France, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and the Czech Republic are aiding anti-flood efforts in Poland, he said. Last week, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the cost of flood damage could reach 10 billion zloty (2.43 billion euros, 3 billion dollars). 'The flood crest on the Vistula will last about six days,' Miller said Monday. 