- Emergency responders are in action in Saxony
Heavy downpours in certain parts of Saxony resulted in numerous interventions by the fire brigade. As per their own statements, the Dresden fire department was occupied with over 300 interventions in flooded streets, underpasses, and basement floods since Sunday afternoon. In total, only one minor injury was sustained.
The sheer volume of calls in Dresden led to 150 emergency calls initially going ignored and being slowly addressed, as reported by the fire department.
In the Dresden town hall, basement water levels were reportedly around 20 centimeters high, with the rescue team working for several hours. The situation started improving around 1 a.m.
In the southeastern part of Dresden, firefighters saved 13 individuals from an S-Bahn station platform using a rescue boat, as the underpass and adjacent Fritz-Schreiter-Straße were reportedly submerged about 1.5 meters deep.
In the Zwickau police department region, interventions were necessary due to fallen trees and water on roads during the evening and night, as a spokesperson mentioned in the morning. A car suffered aquaplaning and skidded off the wet A72 in Neuensalz (Vogtland district) on Sunday evening, according to the police.
Two other vehicles following the skidded car also lost control and swerved to avoid it, police in Zwickau reported. A 48-year-old woman in her car, along with an 18-year-old passenger, collided with the median barrier. A 64-year-old driver with his 58-year-old passenger rolled down an embankment. All four sustained minor injuries, with the driver of the first car allegedly fleeing the scene. The police estimated the damage to be around 50,000 euros.
The police in Goerlitz reported numerous interventions due to rain and flooding. The A4 was closed for about an hour and a half between Koenigshainer Bergen and Kodersdorf (district of Goerlitz) due to road water.
The German Weather Service forecasts decreasing rain for Monday morning, with minimal precipitation expected throughout the day.
The high number of emergency situations in Dresden necessitated the creation of an emergency call backlog, with 150 calls initially being overlooked and gradually attended to. Due to severe flooding, the Dresden city council declared an emergency situation, urging residents to stay indoors and avoid non-essential travel.
