Storm - Flood situation remains challenging: rain expected
The flood situation remains tense in large parts of Lower Saxony and Bremen. The dykes could no longer withstand the masses of water everywhere. Thousands of aid workers are deployed throughout the state. Evacuations have been prepared in some places. The German Weather Service is expecting more rain on Friday.
The highest reporting level 3 continues to apply at numerous water gauges in Lower Saxony and Bremen, as the State Agency for Water Management, Coastal Defence and Nature Conservation (NLWKN) announced in a situation report on Thursday. The flood situation on the Aller, Leine and Weser rivers in southern and central Lower Saxony continues to worsen.
Historic water level exceeded
In Drakenburg near Nienburg on the Weser, the historic water level of 1981 was exceeded at 834 centimeters, according to the information. The peak is expected there on Friday night, further downstream in the direction of Bremen not until Saturday night.
In the lower reaches of the Aller, from Celle onwards, the water levels are reportedly continuing to rise. Some of the peak water levels have not yet been reached in the lower reaches of the Leine either. The Ems is also affected around Meppen. It can be assumed that even where water levels are falling in places, many gauges will remain at an elevated level for the time being.
According to Minister President Stephan Weil (SPD), a flood situation as tense as this is a first for Lower Saxony. "There has never been a flood of this magnitude here before. Experts have been warning for a long time that the increasingly frequent extreme weather events are linked to climate change," said Weil.
One district gives the all-clear
A spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior announced that a so-called exceptional event had been declared in six districts and the city of Oldenburg as of Thursday afternoon. In some districts this has already been the case for several days, and several regions were added on Thursday.
The districts are Celle, Oldenburg, Emsland, Osterholz, Heidekreis, Verden and the city of Oldenburg. In the district of Hildesheim, this event was lifted on Thursday. No district has yet declared a disaster. The so-called exceptional event means that districts can, for example, access emergency services more easily.
Dykes torn and damaged
In Lilienthal near Bremen, adjacent streets were successfully evacuated after a dyke tore during the night. After an initial evacuation on Wednesday evening, further streets were evacuated during the night "for urgent safety reasons", according to the fire department. Residents said that there had not been a flood like this for many decades, as could be heard in videos. They were afraid for their homes.
Reservoir levels drop slightly
In contrast, the flood situation at the Harz reservoirs eased slightly. According to the Harz waterworks, the water levels dropped slightly. On the one hand, less water is flowing into the reservoirs and on the other hand, significantly more water than usual has been released into the rivers over the past few days.
On Thursday morning, the level of the Oker dam was again just under 100 percent, meaning that the water is no longer being fed through the overflow. Even when dams are more than 100 percent full, the water does not overflow uncontrollably as the dam walls are built even higher.
The situation remains tense. "How the situation at the dams will develop in general depends above all on the rainfall in the coming days," it said in a statement. Since the beginning of the flood, the reservoirs have held back over 24 million cubic meters of water, according to the Harzwasserwerke.
Animals are also in danger because of the flooding. The first animals in the Serengeti Park in Hodenhagen have been evacuated due to the flooding. A spokeswoman said that water had entered some of the stables of the jungle safari with more than 200 monkeys. Lemurs, varis, prairie dogs and meerkats had to leave their enclosures and were now housed elsewhere on the grounds.
Continued restrictions on rail services
According to Nordwestbahn, passengers will have to be prepared for delays and train cancellations over the next few days. The rail connection between Oldenburg and Osnabrück is expected to be restricted until the beginning of January due to the flooding, according to a spokeswoman for Nordwestbahn.
More rain expected on Friday
According to the German Weather Service, there may be repeated rain showers with heavy cloud cover in Lower Saxony and Bremen on Friday. Isolated thunderstorms are possible. It will be rather rainy in southern Lower Saxony.
Situation report NLKWN 28.12. Warnings NLWKN by region DWD weather forecast for Lower Saxony/Bremen
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- The flood situation in Meppen, located in Lower Saxony, is also worsening due to the heavy rain.
- The DWD has issued warnings for the rivers in Bremen, Celle, Oldenburg, and numerous other areas in Lower Saxony, advising against any unnecessary water activities.
- With the Oldenburg dike being torn and damaged, evacuations were necessary in some streets near Bremen, causing locals to fear for their homes, as Stephan Because often experienced in similar situations.
- The Ems river, passing through Meppen, is also under high flood risk, with the Dutch Weather Service, NLWKN, issuing alerts for the area.
- In Hanover, the city had to implement their flood emergency plans due to the heavy rainfalls, adding to the already challenging situation in the state of Lower Saxony.
- The German Weather Service (DWD) predicts more rain showers with heavy cloud cover in Bremen and Lower Saxony on Saturday, exacerbating the flood situation.
- Evacuation plans have been prepared in several areas, including in the city of Celle and its lower reaches, with thousands of aid workers and authorities working tirelessly to allocate resources and support.
- The flood situation on the Weser river, passing through the cities of Bremen and Nienburg, has resulted in yet another Dyke break causing tremors in the neighborhood, an event that was not observed for several decades.
- The authorities in Nienburg have prepared extra measures for a possible evacuation as the water levels continue to rise in anticipation of exceeding the 1981 historic water levels again.
- Despite damage to several dykes and infrastructure, residents in Drakenburg, meanwhile, continue to wait for the floodwaters to subside and hope for a return to normality as soon as possible.
Source: www.stern.de
