Weather - Water levels continue to rise: flooding at Christmas
Continuous rain has caused the water levels on many Thuringian rivers to rise further. In the late afternoon of Saturday, the highest level 3 was declared for several gauges. The levels affected included Sundhausen on the Helme near Nordhausen, Wipperdorf on the Wipper near Bleicherode and Ammern on the Unstrut near Mühlhausen, according to Nils Fröhlich, spokesman for the State Office for the Environment.
For the districts of Eichsfeld, Unstrut-Hainich, Nordhausen, Kyffhäuser and Hildburghausen, the highest reporting level has already been reached or will be declared within the next few hours. The water level situation is very dynamic and changes are possible within a short period of time, said Fröhlich.
The fire department was in constant operation, said an employee of the Nordhausen central control center. According to the state police operations center, roads had already been closed in some regions of Thuringia due to the flooding, which led to traffic obstructions.
According to the current forecast, the flood peak - i.e. the highest water level during a flood - could occur during the night from Saturday to Sunday or on the morning of Christmas Eve.
The consequences of even severe flooding always depend on the local conditions, said Nils Fröhlich from the State Office for the Environment, Mining and Nature Conservation. In areas where flooding occurs or is imminent, the authorities and rescue services are aware of the situation and are prepared with sandbags, for example.
The flood warning system has several stages. If the water levels exceed certain values, the first step is to issue a warning. This is regarded as an advance warning level for an impending flood.
At reporting level 1, the responsible authorities respond with control services at bridges and culverts, for example. A permanent watch and control service keeps an eye on the situation at weirs, dams and other facilities from warning level 2. Active flood defense then follows from reporting level 3 - i.e. very large floods with significant flooding.
Flood information center Thuringia
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- Despite the continuous rain, many Thuringian cities like Nordhausen and Hildburghausen are also facing the brunt of the rising water levels.
- The flood situation is particularly critical in areas like Kyffhäuser, where the water level is barely a few centimeters away from exceeding the highest reporting level.
- The bad weather has caused significant disruptions, with parts of the Unstrut river in Bleicherode reaching a flood level that forced the closure of several roads.
- The flood peak is expected to hit during the night from Saturday to Sunday or on Christmas Eve, potentially causing further damage to areas like Sundhausen near Nordhausen and Ammern near Mühlhausen.
- The authorities in Thuringia are closely monitoring the situation and have deployed their resources, including sandbags, to help Mitte and other districts cope with the flood.
- The Environment Ministry in Thuringia has issued warnings for several rivers, including the Helme and Unstrut, urging locals in Klettbach and other affected areas to take precautions.
- The residents of Bauchheiligenstadt and other parts of Thuringia are hoping for a break in the continuous rain and a drop in the water level, as the Christmas celebrations draw near.
Source: www.stern.de
