Scholz visits flood area in Saxony-Anhalt on Thursday
This morning, Scholz and Haseloff will first visit the dyke at the Helme bridge, which is in danger of collapsing, together with the district administrator of the Mansfeld-Südharz district, André Schröder (CDU). They then want to talk to the emergency services and mayors of the affected municipalities at the operations center. At midday, Scholz and Haseloff will then visit a central sandbag filling facility in the village of Berga. They will then make a joint statement on the situation.
The district of Mansfeld-Südharz had already declared a state of disaster shortly before the turn of the year in order to facilitate the request for supra-regional aid and the work of the emergency services. Since the Christmas holidays, hundreds of emergency services have been battling the floods along the Helme river. The soaked dykes and the nearby Kelbra reservoir, which is full of water and has reached its capacity limit, are causing particular concern.
On Tuesday, the district requested forces from the German Armed Forces to help fill sandbags and defend the dykes. In the towns of Kelbra, Roßla and Wallhausen on the Helme, schools will remain closed on Thursday and Friday due to the flood situation.
Scholz had already visited flooded areas in Lower Saxony on New Year's Eve. In Lower Saxony in particular, but also in other federal states, the emergency services have been battling the masses of water for days. After a short, rain-free break, it has been raining again in large parts of Germany since Tuesday, which could cause the already high river levels to rise further.
Read also:
- This will change in December
- Fireworks and parties ring in 2024 - turn of the year overshadowed by conflicts
- Attacks on ships in the Red Sea: shipping companies avoid important trade route
- Expected costs of flood aid trigger new debate on debt brake
Source: www.stern.de
