Swiftly addressingcleanliness in Dresden is a pressing challenge
The urgency is palpable: Dresden anticipates imminent flooding. Before that happens, the fire department is intent on dismantling and removing sections of the damaged Carolabridge. As a fire department official put it, "If this area here gets flooded, our work becomes impossible."
Progress on the demolition and clearance of the Carolabridge, which partially collapsed in Dresden, has been swift. "We're racing against time," admitted fire department spokesperson Michael Klahre. Efforts continued round the clock, with significant progress being made.
The objective remains to finish the clearance by Sunday. Klahre explained, referencing the expected flooding of the Elbe, "This area here will be underwater if the water level rises, making our work impossible."
Part of the Carolabridge, situated over the Elbe and adjacent to Dresden's old town, succumbed to collapse during the wee hours of Wednesday. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The collapse affected section C, which carried a tram line and a pedestrian pathway. Road traffic was re-routed onto neighboring bridges A and B. Klahre informed that preparations for probe drilling are underway at section C, running parallel to the demolition work, to assess the stability of those areas and contribute to the investigation of the collapse cause.
Military assistance arrives
A pair of army bulldozers, referred to as 'Büffel', arrived at the scene on Friday evening. Klahre expressed gratitude for the assistance. "The situation is case-by-case, and if the water level rises, we might have to withdraw our equipment - the ground is already muddy from the rain, and vehicles could get stuck."
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Habermann, the Bundeswehr's spokesperson in Saxony, said, "The Bundeswehr has been deployed to assist in the salvage and demolition efforts of the civil forces here through an administrative assistance procedure." Approximately 30 soldiers were dispatched from mid-German locations to the scene.
Their task is to be ready in the event of breakdowns in the civilian demolition equipment and to prevent any personnel injuries. Habermann provided an example, "An excavator could tip over or slip into the footing due to weather conditions and ground conditions."
The Büffel, according to the Bundeswehr, boasts a 1500-horsepower crane mechanism capable of lifting 30 tons. Its chassis is akin to a Leopard 2 tank, a vehicle designed to tackle obstacles and remove soil. It can even tread through water.
The Elbe is forecasted to rise to alarm level 1 at the Pegel Schöna gauge on Saturday evening. Dresden can expect this rise in water levels by Sunday morning, according to the flood control center. Experts anticipate a swift ascent in water levels, reaching alarm level 3. The highest water levels on Saxon Elbe gauges are expected from Wednesday and Thursday of next week.
The arrival of military aid, in the form of army bulldozers, known as 'Büffel', is timely, as Klahre mentions, "If the water level rises, we might have to withdraw our equipment." The flooding forecasted for Sunday, as suggested by the flood control center, could make the fire department's work impossible. This is a reference to the 2021 Flood disaster, where the Elbe is projected to reach alarm level 3, potentially affecting the flooded areas and making further work impossible.
