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Discharged water from reservoir threatens villages in Thuringia

According to the authorities, the rising water level of the Helme after the release of water from the Kelbra dam in Saxony-Anhalt is endangering a village in Thuringia. The village of Nikolrausrieth in the Kyffhäuserkreis district is affected, a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior...

Flood situation - Discharged water from reservoir threatens villages in Thuringia

According to the authorities, the rising water level of the Helme after the release of water from the Kelbra dam in Saxony-Anhalt is endangering a village in Thuringia. The village of Nikolrausrieth in the Kyffhäuserkreis district is affected, a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior announced on Thursday. Emergency services had set up sandbags on the banks of the river to prevent the water from overflowing into the small village with around 30 houses. The responsible authorities in both federal states are currently discussing how to proceed, specifically whether the Helme dyke in Saxony-Anhalt should be deliberately opened.

This is intended to direct the water onto surrounding fields. The village of Mönchpfiffel-Nikolausrieth is located directly on the border with Saxony-Anhalt. The situation has developed over the past few hours, said a spokesperson for the Thuringian State Office for the Environment, Mining and Nature Conservation in Jena. According to the Kyffhäuserkreis district office, the high water level of the Helme also endangers the village of Heygendorf. However, there is no acute danger, said a spokesperson. The critical points are being constantly monitored and the district office is in constant contact with the relevant authorities in Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt.

Thuringia's Interior Minister Georg Maier (SPD) also came to see the situation on the banks of the Helme in Nikolausrieth on Thursday. The Kelbra reservoir near the border between Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia in the Kyffhäuser Mountains had filled up after unusually heavy rainfall over Christmas. The main purpose of the dam is to protect the Helme-Unstrut valley from flooding. Water is to be released from the dam system in a controlled manner.

Flood news center DWD forecast Thüringer Fernwasserversorgung Post Maier zu Mönchpfiffel-Nikolausrieth

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Source: www.stern.de

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