Emergency rescue missions. - Less storm damage reported in Saxony than initially anticipated.
Recently, the Free State of Saxony was bracing for a severe storm, but fortunately, the impacts were not as bad as initially anticipated over the weekend. Despite this, fire stations received hundreds of calls for assistance, with emergency situations concentrated in the Landkreis Zwickau and Vogtlandkreis regions. On Saturday, there were a staggering 150 reported weather incidents alone, according to the region's fire department control center.
The reason for the alerts was largely due to flooded basements, inundated streets, and occasional uprooted trees. In Crimmitschau, a lightning strike damaged a family home, causing a 59-year-old woman to sustain minor injuries. Colditz, in the Landkreis Leipzig, was also hit with several flash floods after intense rainfall on Saturday evening. This led to cellars being swamped, houses becoming submerged and, unfortunately, some homes having their power cut off. The cellars in Podelwitz are currently unlivable, reported city fire chief Steffen Schmidt on Sunday.
The districts of Bautzen and Görlitz encountered 16 weather-related incidents on Saturday. These involved the fire department removing mud from roads. No significant incidents or damages were reported, according to the police headquarters in Leipzig and Chemnitz. Most of the rain was recorded in just 24 hours at Ostritz in Upper Lusatia (43.3 liters per square meter) and Lichtentanne in Zwickau district (38 liters per square meter), as per a review by the German Weather Service (DWD).
Saxony's Environment Minister, Wolfram Günther, remarked that these types of storms with local flooding will likely become more common due to climate change. "This is a direct consequence of climate change," said the Green Party politician, who visited the damages in Colditz on Sunday. Günther emphasized the importance of warning people ahead of time so they can protect their belongings from being stored in the cellar. Additionally, he suggested creating more water retention facilities and encouraged constructing hedges along roads to minimize the risk of landslides.
Saxon residents were preparing for more thunderstorms and heavy rainfall until Monday evening. DWD forecasted that up to 30 liters per square meter of rain might fall locally during thunderstorms with heavy rain on Sunday. In a short time, 40 liters could be reachable. Storm activity was set to lessen gradually until Monday night.
There was a potential for local landslides and mini-floods in certain areas of Saxony on Sunday, noted the State High Water Center. While no overall flood alarm was in effect, there was a risk of water levels increasing in small bodies of water. The Elbe's Saxon section was projected to experience a rise in levels below the alarm level 1 by Wednesday due to the Elbe's increase in the Czech Republic.
In light of the foreseeable stormy conditions and the resulting flood threat, the Saxon division of the LfULG (State Office for the Environment, Agriculture and Geology) strongly advised the public to prioritize their safety. This meant staying away from flowing water, avoiding entering cellars, garages, and underground parking during heavy rain, and not walking or driving through floods.
