Flood risk in parts of Germany

Weather - Flood risk in parts of Germany

In view of persistent rainfall and saturated soils, the risk of flooding remains high in parts of Germany. Storm surges were expected in the north. The German Weather Service (DWD) continues to warn of persistent rain in several regions.

The Thuringian town of Windehausen (Nordhausen district) is trapped by water and should be completely evacuated, as Thuringia's Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (Left Party) wrote on the internet platform X (formerly Twitter). "I hope that all those affected by the flood will be able to return home as soon as possible," wrote Ramelow. The approximately 400 residents were to be housed in a sports hall. According to the district fire director for Nordhausen, Daniel Kunze, the water in the village is up to 70 centimetres high.

Storm surges expected

According to the forecast, the Elbe in Hamburg is expected to reach the storm surge threshold of 1.5 meters above mean high water (MHW) in the afternoon, as announced by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH). The Federal Office also warned of storm surges in the Weser region and on the North Sea coast of Lower Saxony.

The water is also still high on many other rivers and streams in Lower Saxony. In Celle, a retirement and nursing home had to be evacuated as a precaution. Due to the flood situation, the city of Oldenburg has issued a ban on entering dyke areas and paths.

In North Rhine-Westphalia, according to data from the State Agency for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection (Lanuv), the Weser tributaries remain severely affected. The highest warning threshold was exceeded at several measuring stations. According to the Ministry of the Environment, the floods placed a heavy strain on the dykes in North Rhine-Westphalia. Emergency services had to carry out stabilization measures at some protection facilities in the state.

The flood situation also remained tense in Saxony-Anhalt. In contrast, the situation on the rivers and streams in Rhineland-Palatinate eased noticeably according to the flood control center. According to the Flood Forecasting Center, the water levels on the Upper Rhine up to and including Worms are already dropping again. On the Moselle in Trier, the water level reportedly peaked at 6.14 meters during the night. Since then, falling values have been measured there.

The flood situation in Bavaria has also calmed down somewhat. "We will continue to monitor this, but as there is no significant precipitation input, it is relatively predictable how the flood waves will play out," said a spokesperson for the Flood Information Service (HND). Franconia and eastern Bavaria were particularly affected by the floods. There were isolated operations on Christmas Eve and on the night of Christmas Day. In Nabburg (Schwandorf district), a canoeist capsized on the Naab. He was able to rescue himself from the river.

Warning of continuous rain

The German Weather Service continues to warn of persistent rain in several regions. Especially in the western low mountain ranges - from the Bergisches Land to the Weserbergland - and in the Upper Harz, high amounts are still to be expected, according to a DWD storm warning. In the Erzgebirge, heavy thawing is also continuing. The severe weather warning applied to parts of Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse and Saxony. Floods are expected in streams and rivers. In addition to flooding, landslides could also occur. The majority of the country will remain under the influence of mild and very humid air masses. The continuous rain will continue until Tuesday in some places.