Dyke opening at Helme deepened: Renewed flood risk
After the situation on the River Helme in northern Thuringia calmed down, there is a renewed threat of flooding in the Thuringian Forest and southern Harz in the coming days. Heavy continuous rain could fall between Tuesday and Thursday in the districts of Hildburghausen, Nordhausen, Saalfeld-Rudolstadt, Schmalkalden-Meiningen, Sonneberg, the Ilm district and the city of Suhl, predicted the German Weather Service (DWD) on Monday. The water level of streams and rivers could rise quickly. Street flooding and landslides are possible.
Railroad line temporarily closed
The focus is therefore once again on the stability of already wet dams and dykes along rivers. It was only on New Year's Day that the flood situation on the River Helme in the border region between Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt was at least somewhat alleviated by the deepening of a breach in the dyke. Nevertheless, the railroad line between Sangerhausen in Saxony-Anhalt and Artern in Thuringia had to be temporarily closed. The reason for this was the use of an excavator on the railroad embankment near Oberröblingen to secure the dyke there, according to the district of Mansfeld-Südharz. The railroad company set up rail replacement services on the route.
Helme level slightly lower due to dyke opening
The level of the Helme had dropped by 16 centimeters from Sunday to Monday, said a spokesman for the district office in Sondershausen. It was 2.92 meters on Monday, but still comparatively high. A dyke breach near the village of Mönchpfiffel-Nikolausrieth in the Kyffhäuserkreis district, which had been widened several times over the past few days to a total width of 45 meters, had been deepened.
Part of the floodwater from the Helme will thus continue to be diverted onto agricultural land in the so-called Alter Rieth. "It was the right decision, together with experts from Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt, to deepen the dyke breach. This has prevented worse for the communities of Mönchpfiffel-Nikolausrieth and Heygendorf," explained the district administrator of the Kyffhäuserkreis, Antje Hochwind-Schneider (SPD), according to her administration.
Lots of water in the Kelbra reservoir
According to the district administration, a lot of water is still being drained from the Kelbra reservoir in Saxony-Anhalt into the Helme. This is necessary in order to regain storage space in view of the predicted rainfall.
According to the Thuringian State Office for the Environment, Mining and Nature Conservation in Jena, the water level at all flood warning gauges was below the reference value for the start of the report on Monday. One exception was the Hinternah gauge in Hildburghausen. According to weather forecasts, however, the downward trend will only continue until midday on Tuesday.
Continuous rain and snow in the mountains
In the southern Harz and Thuringian Forest, 40 to 60 liters of rain per square meter could fall within 48 hours, and up to 80 liters in congested areas. Snowfall is possible above 600 meters. Once again, the catchment areas in the upper Werra and upper Saale, the upper Unstrut and the Bere and Zorge on the edge of the Harz are particularly affected. Flood levels 1 or 2 could be reached locally, according to the state office.
Due to the rising groundwater level, some people in Mönchpfiffel-Nikolausrieth were unable to use bathrooms and sanitary facilities in their homes. They were provided with a sanitary container. The small village has around 300 inhabitants. A protective wall near Mönchpfiffel-Nikolausrieth, from which sandbags had disappeared over a length of around 40 meters, was restored at the weekend. According to the district administration office of the Kyffhäuerkreis, 20 meters of the protective wall had been completely removed. According to the spokesperson, a criminal complaint was filed. Investigations will have to determine whether it was theft, he said.
In the neighboring district of Mansfeld-Südharz in Saxony-Anhalt, a state of emergency was declared at the weekend - mainly due to the long duration of the flood defense.
Thuringian Flood Information Center
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- In response to the renewed flood risk in the Thuringian Forest and southern Harz, emergency measures are being taken in the districts of Hildburghausen, Nordhausen, Saalfeld-Rudolstadt, Schmalkalden-Meiningen, and Sonneberg.
- The German Weather Service (DWD) has predicted heavy continuous rain in these districts between Tuesday and Thursday, which could exacerbate the flood situation.
- The flood risk is also a concern in the district of Mansfeld-Südharz, located in Northern Thuringia, and in the city of Sondershausen.
- In Saxony-Anhalt, a state of emergency was declared due to the long duration of the flood defense in the neighboring district of Mansfeld-Südharz.
- According to the Thuringian State Office for the Environment, Mining and Nature Conservation in Jena, the water level at all flood warning gauges was below the reference value on Monday, except for the Hinnerah gauge in Hildburghausen.
- In the district of Kyffhäuserkreis, a breach in the dyke near Mönchpfiffel-Nikolausrieth was deepened, diverting part of the floodwater from the Helme onto agricultural land.
- The authorities reassured the communities of Mönchpfiffel-Nikolausrieth and Heygendorf that this decision had prevented a worse situation.
- In the small village of Mönchpfiffel-Nikolausrieth, some residents were unable to use bathrooms and sanitary facilities due to the rising groundwater level.
- In the Southern Thuringia region, up to 80 liters of rain per square meter could fall within 48 hours, and snowfall is possible above 600 meters.
- The situation is particularly critical in the catchment areas in the upper Werra and upper Saale, the upper Unstrut, and the Bere and Zorge on the edge of the Harz, where flood levels 1 or 2 could be reached locally.
Source: www.stern.de
