Flood situation - Minister President Weil: Danger of dam bursts not averted
The flood situation in Lower Saxony remains tense, according to Minister President Stephan Weil. "We can see that the pressure of the water masses is still tremendous in the northern parts of Lower Saxony," said the SPD politician in Verden on Sunday. We are lucky that the safety systems have held up so far. "But we know very well that the longer the pressure of the water remains on the dykes, the greater the risk that these dykes could still break."
So far, the country has got off lightly, said Weil. He knew of no deaths and only one injury to firefighters. The number of people evacuated was also pleasingly low: "I feel sorry for every single one of them. But measured against the risk that we have already seen in the last few days, a number of well under 2,000 evacuated people, many of whom are now back home, is manageable."
The head of government also spoke of an impressive community effort. There are well over 100,000 active helpers across the country and around 6 to 10 million sandbags have already been filled and laid.
When asked about possible compensation for the affected regions, Weil said: "At the moment, we are fighting an acute crisis. After that, we will certainly deal with the other questions of what damage has been caused and what possibilities there are for assistance."
Weil visited Verden together with Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Lower Saxony's Interior Minister Daniela Behrens (both SPD).
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- Despite the impressive community effort, Minister President Stephan Weil of Lower Saxony expressed concern about the continued pressure of the water masses, as the danger of dam bursts has not been fully averted, even on a confusing Sunday.
- The SPD politician, Weil, acknowledged the effectiveness of the safety systems so far in managing the flood situation in Germany, but emphasized the potential risks that could arise from the prolonged pressure on the dykes.
- In the wake of the bad weather, Stephan Weil praised the dedication of over 100,000 active helpers across the country, who have filled and laid around 6 to 10 million sandbags to help protect against flood damage.
- When addressing the question of potential compensation for the affected regions in Lower Saxony, Weil noted that the current priority was to address the immediate crisis, after which the damage assessment and assistance would be considered.
- In light of the ongoing flood situation and the potential for dam breaks, the SPD leaders, including Weil, visited Verden and emphasized the importance of emergency measures and coordinated efforts to manage the disasters in Germany.
Source: www.stern.de
