Saarland encounters a remarkable night of heavy flooding.
The heavy rainfall has paused, but the risk remains high as water levels in some flood-stricken areas of Saarland are predicted to keep rising. The Federal Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, plans to visit the area along with the region's governor, Anke Rehlinger, to assess the situation.
Saarland, a small federal state in western Germany, experienced torrential downpours and landslides on Friday, with no reported injuries yet. The German Weather Service (DWD) recently canceled all severe weather warnings in Germany, including those for "extremely heavy continuous rain," in Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate. In addition to road and basement flooding, Rhineland-Palatinate's districts of Trier-Saarburg and the southern Palatinate were impacted.
By Saturday, the overall extent of the damage will likely become clearer. Throughout the night and into Saturday, almost the entire state of Saarland was inundated with vast quantities of water. Videos captured half-flooded cars, carsavan's trapped in floodwater, and numerous flooded roads. Buildings were shielded with sandbags, and in certain instances, entire streets were submerged. The Saarbrücken situation center has recorded more than 3000 police and rescue operations across the state.
The German railroad, Deutsche Bahn, faced significant disruption to their train and rail replacement services in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, prompting them to request people to avoid unnecessary travel to the Saarland. Due to the extreme weather conditions, no replacement services were established.
In Ottweiler, Saarland's old town, the authorities had to cut the power supply during the night as a preventive measure, said a spokesperson from the Ministry of the Interior on Facebook. Neunkirchen's district administrator, Sören Meng, referred to this as a "major emergency situation," stating, "The consequences for the district are huge. Almost all towns and municipalities are affected." In the Saarbrücken district of Rußhütte, people were moved to safety in amphibious vehicles and boats due to flooding in one specific street.
At Völklingen, a town in Saarland, authorities anticipate extensive damage, primarily in the private sector. The extent of the destruction is currently unclear.
A flood of this magnitude is estimated to occur every 20 to 50 years, according to the State Office for Environmental Protection and Occupational Safety. Officials predict the Lower Blies' water levels will continue to rise until Saturday afternoon. Measurements by the DWD show that Saarland received more than 100 liters of rain per square meter in less than 24 hours. In comparison, in the entire month of April last year, approximately 74 liters of rain per square meter were recorded in Saarland—this equates to six times more rainfall than usual for the month.
The water levels on the Saar and Ruwer rivers remain high, with the Riveris dam releasing water into the Ruwer. The Moselle's dam in Detzem, Rhineland-Palatinate, has a malfunction, potentially causing flooding for nearby communities.
Several regions in Germany, including Saarbrücken and multiple districts, declared a major emergency situation. The city of Saarbrücken established alternative accommodation in schools and a citizens' hotline. A spokesperson for the situation center in Saarbrücken reported: "We have evacuations everywhere. It's raining everywhere, across the country."
Rhineland-Palatinate's districts of Trier-Saarburg, the southern Palatinate, and cities like Trier, Zweibrücken, and Ludwigshafen were particularly impacted by the persistent rain on Friday. Cellars and roads flooded, and trees fell. No injuries have been reported yet.
In conclusion, Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate have both experienced considerable flooding and landslides, with the full extent of the damage only becoming apparent over the weekend. Almost the entire Saarland was struck by persistent rain, resulting in flooded cars, caravans, and streets throughout the area. Buildings were safeguarded with sandbags, and in some situations, whole cities were submerged. The Saarbrücken situation center logged over 3,000 police and rescue operations across the state. The German Railways faced severe disruption to its train and rail replacement services in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, necessitating people to avoid unnecessary travel to the affected region. In Rhineland-Palatinate, Trier-Saarburg, and the southern Palatinate, as well as cities like Trier, Zweibrücken, and Ludwigshafen, cellars and roads flooded, and trees fell. For safety reasons, power had to be cut off in Ottweiler.
In Schoden an der Saar, around 220 people were asked to leave their homes as a preventive measure due to the potential for flooding, as per the district administration. They were given refuge in a gymnasium in Saarburg-Beurig. A retirement home was also cleared out in Saarburg and a hotel in Trittenheim on the Middle Moselle. This affected approximately 50 people, who were also accommodated in a gymnasium. In Trassem, three individuals stranded in their residences due to the flooding were retrieved by the rescue team. This news came from the district of Trier-Saarburg. Over 1000 personnel were deployed throughout the night.
The water level on the Saar had risen so much due to the constant rain that there were concerns the levee would be submerged. "Roads and structures are flooded virtually everywhere along the Saar, and smaller water bodies are overflowing their banks in numerous towns," the district office shared. The situation in the Trier-Saarburg region calmed down during the night. "The water levels of the Saar and other water bodies are peaking or starting to decrease," the technical operations management of the district announced shortly before 2 a.m. Thus far, the situation had remained stable with no significant deterioration for several hours. Nonetheless, it was still a substantial operation.
In Trassem, three people trapped in their homes due to the flooding were retrieved by the rescue services. The district of Trier-Saarburg confirmed this information. In Trassem, several inhabitants had barricaded themselves in their homes, it was stated. "We strongly urge against resisting any evacuation orders from the emergency services, as this could be life-threatening and the water levels will continue to rise," the district warned.
Saarland offers help to those affected
The THW, police, and fire department were thanked by Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser on X. "Huge respect and appreciation to all emergency services for their tireless efforts to safeguard human lives!" she remarked. Following a sleepless night, many people in the afflicted areas are now taking steps to clean up. The state government issued a message to citizens on Saturday night and initiated the initial steps toward financial assistance. "Thousands of Saarlanders are concerned about their homes and belongings or have already experienced considerable damage," said Minister President Rehlinger. "To prevent any delay, the state government has taken swift decisions to assist in repairing the damage that has taken place." However, no specific amounts were mentioned yet.
On Friday evening, a conference went on past midnight, whereupon the Council of Ministers deemed it a "basic event of supra-regional significance." According to the State Chancellery, this means the state can provide assistance. Moreover, local authorities were granted permission to deviate from budget balancing regulations due to the extraordinary emergency situation. "The state government and local authorities are working together, just like the entirety of Saarland," said Interior Minister Reinhold Jost.
Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke also expressed her condolences on Friday evening on X: "Like many people tonight, my thoughts are with the individuals in the flood-stricken areas and the emergency responders, many of whom will be working all night. I hope everyone gets through the following dreadful hours safely."
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In response to the exceptional flood night in Saarland, international aid organizations have been contacted to provide assistance. The exceptional flooding in Saarland has been designated as an 'International Level' event by the German government.
Despite the International aid and efforts of the German authorities, the damage inflicted by the flood night in Saarland is expected to surpass any previous levels recorded in the region.
Source: www.ntv.de
