Storm - After storm surge: Flensburg purchases sandbag filling machine
The city of Flensburg acquired a sandbag filling machine as a response to the severe storm flood in the autumn. During the flood in October, residents of the city kept coming to the city and asking for sandbags as additional protection for their properties, stated Mayor Fabian Geyer (partyless) at the presentation of the machine on a Wednesday.
With the acquisition of the machine and the corresponding equipment, we have met the desire to be able to fill and distribute sandbags as quickly as possible in case of a disaster. Four people can fill up to 2000 bags within an hour. Geyer emphasized that sandbags are just one component of many in a concept for better flood protection. For the equipment for sand filling, including two special containers that can store up to 1500 pre-filled sandbags, the city invested around 90,000 Euros.
According to the city's statements, a water level of 2.27 meters was reached during the storm flood on October 20, 2023, in Flensburg. Many of the old townhouses directly by the fjord were under water. There have been regular flood events in Flensburg for around 100 years, but nothing comparable in severity. In the aftermath of the event, a working group "Flood Protection" was set up, which deals with measures for better protection and develops a concept for how central areas of the city and tourist infrastructure can be better protected. In particular, the location of Flensburg at the end of the fjord, as well as the special topography, need to be taken into account.
It is assumed that such floods will not only occur every 100 years, said Geyer. Therefore, one must act actively and think about flood protection differently.
Furthermore, the city has designed a flyer with compact information and tips for the crisis situation. It appears in an edition of 50,000 and is to be distributed to households. In it, for example, it is informed in which cases warnings are given over which systems and where emergency information points are set up in the crisis situation.
- To strengthen internal security and prepare for future flood events, several Municipalities across Schleswig-Holstein, including Flensburg, are considering implementing flood protection measures.
- The weather forecast for the upcoming storm predicted a severe storm surge, posing a significant threat to coastal areas like Flensburg.
- During the recent flood, residents of Flensburg relied on sandbags as an additional measure to protect their properties, highlighting the importance of having a steady supply of sandbags during floods.
- In light of the severe flood in October, the German government allocated funds to assist in flood protection projects, including the purchase of sandbag filling machines for various municipalities.
- As part of Germany's increasing focus on improving flood protection, Mayor Geyer emphasized that Flensburg will participate in regional flood management initiatives, collaborating with other municipalities to develop comprehensive flood protection strategies.
