Rising water levels - Flood situation remains tense - weir on the Elbe is opened
The Elbe is expected to exceed the six-meter mark in Dresden on Thursday morning. In order to protect the state capital of Saxony-Anhalt, Magdeburg, from flooding, the Pretzien weir will be raised on Thursday morning. The weir, which is around 135 meters long, was last opened in June 2013. It will now also ensure that a third of the Elbe water flows into a 21-kilometre-long canal around Schönebeck, Magdeburg and other towns in the Elbe lowlands until it flows back into the Elbe.
Floods in Lower Saxony: rising water levels expected in some places
The highest flood alert level 4 is expected to apply to the Helme over the next few days. In Lower Saxony, the State Agency for Water Management, Coastal Defence and Nature Conservation is expecting water levels to continue to rise, particularly on the Middle Weser and the upper reaches of the Aller, Leine and Oker. According to the local fire department, a dyke broke in the municipality of Lilienthal near Bremen and the affected area was evacuated on Wednesday afternoon. Further roads were evacuated on Thursday night due to a soaked dyke. In neighboring Bremen, the flood situation in the Borgfeld district is similarly tense. Interior Senator Ulrich Mäurer (SPD) wants to see the situation for himself there on Thursday. In the Bremen district of Timmersloh, the dykes could be reworked so that no more evacuations had to take place there, as a fire department spokesman said early on Thursday morning.
Around 300 people had to leave their homes in the municipality of Winsen in Lower Saxony due to the Aller flood. The settlements of Westohe and Südohe had to be evacuated, the district of Celle announced on Wednesday evening. The water level on the streets there had risen to around 40 to 50 centimetres, so the electricity had been switched off for safety reasons. The Allertal sports hall in Winsen is currently being used as an emergency shelter. In some places in the district of Verden, a "threatening situation" continued to prevail on Thursday night due to the flooding and softening dykes, according to a fire department spokesperson.
Several districts in Lower Saxony declared a preliminary stage of the disaster alarm - this gives the district administrations easier access to aid workers, among other things. According to state fire director Dieter Rohrberg, the town of Sarstedt in the district of Hildesheim, where the Innerste and Leine rivers meet, was particularly affected.
On the upper reaches of the Weser from Hann. Münden to Höxter in North Rhine-Westphalia, the water levels fell on Wednesday, according to the state agency, but rising water levels were forecast for the middle Weser. At the Drakenburg gauge in the district of Nienburg, the previous record level from 1981, namely 8.34 meters, could even be exceeded, it said. In North Rhine-Westphalia, the numerous reservoirs also remain under observation.
Hope for a short break in the rain
Some are hoping for a brief respite: according to the forecast of the German Weather Service (DWD), it should remain largely dry in Germany on Thursday. This could ease the flood situation on some rivers somewhat. However, according to the DWD, the risk of heavier rainfall will then increase again. "In the west and northwest in particular, the weather models indicate a lot of wet weather, which will probably cause river levels to rise again quickly," said a meteorologist on Wednesday.
Climate change is making extreme weather events more likely. Potsdam climate researcher Stefan Rahmstorf wrote on X on Christmas Eve: "Extreme precipitation is increasing worldwide and also in our country due to #global warming. Climate researchers have been warning about this for over 30 years; the data from weather stations has long since confirmed this."
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The water level in the Middle Weser in Lower Saxony is expected to continue rising, posing a concern for the region. The highest flood alert level 4 has been issued for the Helme in Lower Saxony, and a dyke broke near Bremen in Lilienthal, leading to evacuations. Around 300 people had to leave their homes in Winsen due to the Aller flood. In North Rhine-Westphalia, rising water levels are forecast for the middle Weser, and at the Drakenburg gauge, the previous record level from 1981 could be exceeded. The rising water levels have highlighted the impact of climate change, as extreme precipitation is increasing worldwide due to global warming.
The flood situation in Saxony-Anhalt is tense, with the Pretzien weir set to be raised on Thursday morning to protect Dresden from flooding. In Bremen, the flood situation in the Borgfeld district is similarly tense, with Interior Senator Ulrich Mäurer planning to visit the area. The dykes in Timmersloh, Bremen, could be reworked to prevent further evacuations. In Lower Saxony's district of Verden, a "threatening situation" continues due to flooding and softening dykes.
Several districts in Lower Saxony have declared a preliminary stage of the disaster alarm, with Sarstedt in the district of Hildesheim particularly affected. In this area, the Innerste and Leine rivers are causing concern. In addition, the water levels on the Weser from Hann. Münden to Höxter in North Rhine-Westphalia fell on Wednesday, but rising water levels are forecast for the middle Weser.
In Bremen, the flood situation in the beautifulbeck district was stable on Thursday, according to fire department spokespersons. In Germany, there is hope for a brief respite from the heavy rain on Thursday, as forecasted by the German Weather Service (DWD). However, weather models indicate a lot of wet weather in the west and northwest, which will likely cause river levels to rise again quickly.
Flooding is also affecting parts of Germany, including Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. The flood situation remains tense, with weirs being opened and various districts declaring a preliminary stage of the disaster alarm. Climate change is making extreme weather events more likely, and warnings have been issued for several years. The flooding and the resulting evacuations underscore the need for action on climate change.
Source: www.stern.de
