Flood - High water levels in the country: "We hope it goes well"
The flood situation in Rhineland-Palatinate has worsened in some places. Among other things, rising water levels were recorded on the Moselle on Thursday. "We have prepared everything and have to wait and see how the discharge situation develops," said the mayor of Zell, Hans-Peter Döpgen, to the German Press Agency. The flood protection wall has been raised by dam beams, which are currently keeping water out of the town.
"At the moment we still have 30 centimeters," said Döpgen. "We hope it goes well, but it will be very tight. It's a matter of centimetres, which is what we're getting reported from the inflow." Basically, the town has known the situation "for generations" and is prepared for it. "But it's always associated with effort and damage for the population." The peak wave is expected in the late afternoon.
State Environment Minister Katrin Eder visited Zell at midday to get an idea of the situation. The Green politician described flood protection as a "permanent task" and also referred to the debate about a possible suspension of the debt brake for federal flood aid. "We should really be discussing the fact that we have funds available for climate adaptation, and this must not fail because of the debt brake," said Eder. "This applies not only to damage, but also to prevention." Rhineland-Palatinate will chair the Conference of Environment Ministers in 2024.
According to the district of Cochem-Zell, the B49 through road in Cochem is flooded. Due to the situation, there will be restrictions on visits to the district administration up to and including Friday. The police reported that the road maintenance department, the fire department and the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) were deployed. Several roads are closed.
In Odenbach (Kusel district), the river Glan reached its highest level of 4.81 meters on Thursday, according to the fire department. "In the center of the village, the state road was closed and a few cellars are under water," said fire chief Daniel Becker. "Everything is being cleared out of the first floor or cellar and life is being moved up a floor." The water level is dropping one centimeter per hour. "And the forecasts for the next few days look good," said Becker.
In view of the flooding, many people along the Ahr are tense and worried these days, but also feel sympathy for those affected who have to leave their homes or are fighting for the stability of the dykes. "Many people tingle when it rains," says Ahr district councillor Cornelia Weigand (non-party) to the German Press Agency. "The situation is not yet problematic on the Ahr and it also looks as if it will remain relatively calm," emphasized Weigand. But also: "We are constantly monitoring the water levels."
According to the forecast, continuous rain is expected to continue in Rhineland-Palatinate until Friday. On Thursday morning, the German Weather Service issued severe weather warnings in the east and north of the state, with a further 25 to 40 liters of rain per square meter possible in congested areas. In the east, the situation should improve by midday, in the north this is not expected until Friday.
The flood situation remained tense. The district of Kusel warned of danger due to rising water levels in the area of the river Glan. According to the Rhineland-Palatinate Flood Forecasting Center, the threshold of a ten-year flood was exceeded on Thursday at the Nanzdietschweiler gauge in the western Palatinate.
Homepage town of Zell Homepage district of Cochem-Zell
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- Mayor Hans-Peter Döpgen of Zell, affected by the flood situation in Rhineland-Palatinate, is hopeful but aware of the tight situation with only 30 centimeters of space left before the flood protection wall breaks.
- State Environment Minister Katrin Eder, from Rhineland-Palatinate, emphasized the importance of discussing climate adaptation funds and not letting the debt brake impact them.
- The district administration in Cochem-Zell is restricting visits due to flooding on the B49 through road.
- Fire chief Daniel Becker in Odenbach reported that the river Glan reached its highest level of 4.81 meters, causing several cellars to flood and forcing people to move up a floor.
- Eder, a member of Alliance 90/The Greens, visited Zell to assess the flood situation and discuss the importance of funds for climate adaptation.
- According to the Rhineland-Palatinate Flood Forecasting Center, the threshold of a ten-year flood was exceeded at the Nanzdietschweiler gauge in the western Palatinate, adding to the flood situation's tension.
- The German Weather Service issued severe weather warnings with the possibility of 25 to 40 liters of rain per square meter in congested areas in Rhineland-Palatinate.
- The district of Kusel warned of danger due to rising water levels in the area of the river Glan, causing concern and monitoring amongst the population.
- Eder visited the flooded town of Zell, which has experienced high water levels for generations, preparing for and dealing with the associated effort and damage.
Source: www.stern.de
