Storm - Situation in flood areas also tense on New Year's Eve
The deployment of thousands of helpers in the flood areas in parts of Germany continues on New Year's Eve. On Sunday night, many water levels in Lower Saxony were at the second-highest reporting level. The emergency services are particularly concerned about the dykes, many of which are softened and could break. The German Weather Service (DWD) predicted showery rain in some areas in the north-west and west for the morning of New Year's Eve. Meanwhile, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is planning a visit to the flood areas to thank helpers and show solidarity, according to a report in Bild.
According to the newspaper, Scholz wants to show those affected that the government will not leave them alone in this difficult situation, the "Bild" portal reported on Saturday evening. The exact time and place of the visit are still secret. There was still no official confirmation on Sunday night.
Parts of Lower Saxony, southern Saxony-Anhalt on the border with Thuringia and areas in North Rhine-Westphalia have been particularly affected by flooding. The all-clear has recently been given in some places. The Lower Saxony State Agency for Water Management, Coastal Defence and Nature Conservation, for example, announced that several water levels had peaked and would fall again. According to the information, however, the water levels in the middle and lower reaches of the Aller, Leine and Oker would remain at the current level for the time being.
Lower Saxony's Interior Minister Daniela Behrens (SPD) told "Der Spiegel": "Further rainfall has been announced and there could also be storms. Nevertheless, we do not currently expect the forecast rain to dramatically worsen the situation." The DWD has forecast persistent and heavy rain in parts of Germany for Tuesday. There is great concern that the situation on the rivers could worsen again.
Calls to refrain from New Year's Eve fireworks
For many emergency services, at least major New Year's Eve celebrations are likely to be canceled. To save them extra work, several cities in Lower Saxony have recommended that fireworks and firecrackers be avoided on New Year's Eve, for example the city of Celle. The emergency services were already working at full capacity with the floods. Environment Minister Christian Meyer (Greens) also recommended not using firecrackers on New Year's Eve in areas affected by flooding.
In some cases, firecrackers were also banned, such as in the municipality of Lilienthal in the district of Osterholz near Bremen. The district also feared that many onlookers would be out and about in the flood area on New Year's Eve. Behrens described onlookers and disaster tourists as annoying. "Many of them travel here just to see the masses of water. They ignore the barriers." There have already been several cases where the fire department has had to rescue onlookers, said the Minister of the Interior.
Disaster situation in the Mansfeld-Südharz district
The emergency services also have a lot to do in other parts of the state. The flood situation remains critical in several towns on the River Helme on the border between Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt. The district of Mansfeld-Südharz declared a state of emergency on Saturday. According to the mayor of the municipality of Südharz, Peter Kohl, collection points were set up in two gymnasiums on Saturday evening as a precautionary measure. Despite the declaration of a state of disaster, nothing has changed in terms of practical work.
On the Elbe near Tangermünde in northern Saxony-Anhalt, the authorities expected the second of four alert levels to be exceeded on Saturday. In Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia, the authorities had cautiously spoken of an easing of the situation.
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Source: www.stern.de
