Beavers are partly to blame for floods in Poland which have already killed 15 people, the Daily Telegraph said on Wednesday citing Polish Interior Minister Jerzy Miller.

"The greatest enemy of the flood defenses is an animal called the beaver. They live everywhere along the levees on the Vistula River and cause a lot of damage to them," Miller said.

Beavers, whose population in Poland is around 50,000, build tunnels in dams and embankments weakening them, he said.

Polish authorities have increased the hunting quota on beavers because of the floods caused by them.

Heavy rains hit Poland last week, causing rivers to swell to their highest levels since last century. The country's southern regions were the worst affected by the floods, leaving 15 dead, and forcing thousands to be evacuated. Local rescue teams continue evacuate people from dangerous areas.

The floods have already swept the country's capital, Warsaw, and authorities have closed schools, kindergartens, and one of the main thoroughfares.

The Polish government will invest 2 billion zloty ($596 mln) on new housing reconstruction for people who have suffered from the floods. However the final cost of the flood could reach $3 billion, the Daily Telegraph said, citing Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

MOSCOW, May 26 (RIA Novosti)