Minister outraged by kite surfers in flood areas
The danger in the flood areas in Lower Saxony has not yet been averted. But according to State Minister of the Interior Behrens, water sports enthusiasts and onlookers are already out and about in the affected regions. "Many are traveling especially to see the masses of water," said the SPD politician.
Due to the large number of onlookers in the flood areas in Lower Saxony, the police have stepped up their checks in the restricted areas. State Interior Minister Daniela Behrens told "Der Spiegel". "In fact, there are even sightings of kite surfers out and about in flood areas." That is life-threatening. "I can only warn against such life-threatening nonsense."
According to the minister, onlookers who get into distress through their own fault must expect to pay for the rescue. A spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior explained in the evening that Behrens was referring to statements made by firefighters in the daily briefing. According to media reports, kite surfers have also been seen in flooded areas in East Frisia and Saxony-Anhalt in recent days.
Behrends described onlookers and disaster tourists as annoying. "Many people travel here just to see the masses of water. They ignore the barriers." There have already been several cases in which the already extremely busy fire department has had to rescue onlookers, said the SPD Interior Minister.
Report: Chancellery plans trip to flood areas
Meanwhile, Chancellor Olaf Scholz is planning a visit to the flood areas, according to the newspaper "Bild". He wants to thank the helpers and show those affected that the government will not leave them alone in this difficult situation. The exact time and place of the visit are still secret. "However, the Chancellery is preparing a helicopter flight to the flood areas very soon," he said.
Parts of Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia are particularly affected by the floods. After continuous rainfall, many rivers burst their banks. Thousands of emergency personnel are working non-stop in the regions affected by the floods. The situation is particularly tense in Lower Saxony. Nevertheless, there were signs of a slight easing in some places.
In the flood regions in North Rhine-Westphalia, emergency services were able to breathe a little easier at the turn of the year. "Overall, the trend in water levels is declining," said a spokesperson for the NRW Ministry of the Environment. There, as in other regions of Germany, there is a threat of more rain at the beginning of the week. It was feared that the water levels could rise again as a result.
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Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor, is planning a visit to the flood-affected regions in Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia, to thank the helpers and show support to those affected. Despite the critical situation in Lower Saxony, where kite surfers have reportedly been spotted in flood areas, the international community is closely monitoring the situation.
Source: www.ntv.de
