Flood - Situation in Lilienthal remains tense after dike rupture
The flood situation in Lilienthal, north of Bremen, remains tense. In the municipality, dykes have been severely damaged in several places over the past few days. "We are waiting for things to happen," said Mayor Kim Fürwentsches (CDU) at a press conference on Thursday.
For the moment, no all-clear can be given, as rainfall has also been reported for the coming days. In preparation for this, trees on the dykes that were in danger of falling over due to the softened ground would be felled. Falling trees could cause massive damage to the dykes, said Fürwentsches.
Several streets in the municipality were evacuated on Wednesday evening and on Thursday night. The flood had softened a section of dyke on the River Wörpe so much that it could no longer be reinforced with sandbags. Otherwise it was in danger of toppling over, said the mayor, referring to a dyke expert from the technical relief organization. At another point, a broken dyke crest had to be temporarily closed. The police were deployed to protect the evacuated houses from possible burglars, said a spokesman.
Mayor Fürwentsches cited the frequent rainfall in recent months and the storm surge just before Christmas as the reason for the development. With more rain over the festive period, the situation then became increasingly worse.
On Christmas Day, the first cellars filled up and water seeped through some of the dykes, said district fire chief Jan Hinken. He was surprised by the extent of the flooding. "The dykes have always been safe so far." The current situation could not have been foreseen.
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- In response to the ongoing flooding situation, the authorities in Lower Saxony have declared a state of emergency in Lilienthal.
- Despite the efforts to reinforce the dykes, a major flood in Lilienthal could be imminent if the forecasted rain falls as expected.
- The CDU politician and Mayor of Lilienthal, Kim Fürwentsches, has urged residents to stay vigilant and follow evacuation orders during this critical period.
- The recent disasters, such as the dyke rupture and frequent rainfall, have prompted calls for more investments in flood prevention and emergency response measures in Bremen and neighboring regions.
Source: www.stern.de
