Flood risk increases in several federal states
It is currently quite uncomfortable in many places. In some parts of the country, heavy continuous rain is causing an increased risk of flooding. Fire departments and volunteers are trying to protect areas with sandbags. The DWD issues a warning for several federal states.
In view of the heavy rainfall of the past few days, the risk of flooding is increasing in various German regions. In Lower Saxony, 30 water levels reached the third of four warning levels in the early morning, according to the State Agency for Water Management, Coastal Defence and Nature Conservation. The rivers Weser, Aller, Leine and Oker, among others, exceeded this threshold. At level three, flooding of properties and larger areas as well as roads and cellars is possible.
In many districts in Lower Saxony, fire departments and volunteers protected areas with sandbags. In Rodenberg in the district of Schaumburg, emergency services also secured transformer stations as a precautionary measure, as a reporter on the scene reported. Sirens warned the residents during the night from Saturday to Sunday. The mayor of the joint municipality, Thomas Wolf, reported early in the morning that the floodwater was now flowing over the weir. Helpers had run from house to house to warn the residents. A total of 300 helpers were deployed, from the fire department as well as from the technical relief organization. There had not been a flood like this in the municipality for 25 years.
In Saxony-Anhalt, the flood forecasting center issued warnings for the Mulde, Aller and Havel rivers. Alert levels 1 and 2 were exceeded at several measuring points in the state, and even alert level 3 in Wolmirstedt in the district of Börde and in Tylsen in the Altmark district of Salzwedel. The flood situation also worsened in parts of Saxony. The alert level 3 was reached at several water gauges in the morning - for example in Chemnitz.
Relief only on the second public holiday
On Saturday evening, the German Weather Service (DWD) issued a warning for Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, Bavaria and Saxony due to the persistent rain. "The persistent rain will continue until Monday, Christmas Day," it said. "Until then, a total of 40 to 80 liters per square meter will fall in the low mountain ranges, in some cases also reaching into the foothills, accumulated since Thursday, in 2 to 4 days." In congested areas, even 80 to 120 liters are possible. This would mainly affect the western low mountain ranges, but also the Oberharz, Fichtelgebirge and the Bavarian Forest.
According to the RTL/ntv weather team, there will at least be some relief in terms of rainfall on the second national holiday. Although it will continue to be changeable, the continuous rain will come to an end. In addition to some clouds, there will also be some sunshine and a few showers during the course of the day. Most of the sunshine will again be in the far south. Highs 7 to 12 degrees. In the northern half, strong to partly stormy winds.
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Given the ongoing heavy rain and the increasing risk of flooding in various German states, the German Weather Service has issued warnings for multiple federal states, including Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, Bavaria, and Saxony. Recognizing the severity of the situation, international support in the form of technical assistance may be sought to manage this extreme weather event, particularly in the face of the expected continuation of rainfall until Christmas Day, potentially resulting in record-breaking precipitation amounts.
Source: www.ntv.de
