Weather service extends rain warning - Scholz visits flood area in Saxony-Anhalt
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. In the particularly affected state of Lower Saxony, Minister President Stephan Weil (SPD) held out the prospect of state aid due to the flood damage, but at the same time insisted on the introduction of compulsory natural hazard insurance. Weil said in Hanover that the amount of damage in his federal state was not yet manageable.
Lower Saxony's Interior Minister Daniela Behrens (SPD) said on Bayerischer Rundfunk radio: "We still have a few hard days ahead of us to fight this flood." The situation in the north-west between the Weser and Ems rivers is particularly critical. The dykes are very soaked. There are also still some towns that are threatened by flooding.
The Lower Saxony State Agency for Water Management, Coastal Defence and Nature Conservation once again warned of an aggravation of the flood situation in the Hase river basin, among others. There is a "risk of major flooding". The situation in Oldenburg also remains critical due to the high water level of the Hunte. Several hundred people were threatened with evacuation. In the meantime, mobile dykes have been set up in Oldenburg and Celle.
According to state fire director Dieter Rohrberg, Lower Saxony received 1.5 million additional sandbags from other federal states, which can be distributed if necessary. Minister President Weil estimated the number of helpers deployed in his state alone at around 120,000.
According to the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK), Lower Saxony also accepted an offer of help from France. Since Wednesday, 39 soldiers and eleven vehicles have been supporting the state in the flood situation.
Rising water levels were also reported from Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia, among others. In Saxony-Anhalt, the district of Mansfeld-Südharz requested Bundeswehr forces to help fill sandbags and defend the dykes. Schools in three towns on the Helme river will remain closed on Thursday and Friday.
Chancellor Scholz plans to visit Oberröblingen, a district of Sangerhausen, on Thursday together with Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) and Saxony-Anhalt Minister President Reiner Haseloff (CDU) to find out about the flood situation. The politicians first want to take a look at the dyke at the Helme bridge, which is in danger of collapsing; a visit to a sandbag filling facility is also planned. Scholz had already visited flooded areas in Lower Saxony on New Year's Eve.
According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, around 680 members of the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) are currently working in the flood areas. The Bundeswehr is also providing support. According to the Ministry of Defense, it currently has ten helicopters from the air force and navy on standby. There are also around one hundred soldiers and infrastructure.
The German Weather Service (DWD) has now extended its continuous rain warnings, in some cases into Saturday. At the same time, snow is in sight. Colder air is gradually seeping in on the back of the current storm depression, which will spread to the north-east on Thursday and bring snowfall in many places. However, further rainfall is to be expected in a wide strip from the Lower Rhine via Thuringia to the Erzgebirge and Fichtelgebirge.
A new low pressure system is approaching from France and will initially spread its precipitation area to the west and north-west of Germany in the night to Friday before it reaches the northern half on Friday.
Hydrologist Ralf Merz said on Deutschlandfunk radio that climate change is causing more frequent stable weather patterns with long dry and long wet periods. Germany would have to adapt and activate more floodplains to create floodplains.
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
- The weather service in Germany extended its continuous rain warning, which now covers parts of the country until Saturday.
- Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor, will visit flood-affected areas in Saxony-Anhalt on Thursday, alongside other politicians.
- In the critical situation in Oldenburg, several hundred residents were warned of potential evacuation due to the high water level of the Hunte.
- Daniela Behrens, Lower Saxony's Interior Minister, shared her concerns about the upcoming hard days as the flood situation remains unstable.
- The federal armed forces were called to assist in Saxony-Anhalt, where schools will be closed for two more days due to the Helme river flooding.
- The weather service reported rising water levels in several parts of Germany, including Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia.
- Minister President Stephan Weil estimated that around 120,000 helpers had been deployed in Lower Saxony to handle the flood situation.
- The Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance received an offer of help from France, resulting in additional support for Lower Saxony.
- The German Weather Service (DWD) suggested that climate change might be causing more frequent, long dry and wet periods, requiring Germany to adapt and activate more floodplains.
- Scholz had previously visited flooded areas in Lower Saxony on New Year's Eve, and he will now inspect the Helme bridge's dyke and visit a sandbag filling facility in Saxony-Anhalt.
- According to Rohrberg, Lower Saxony received a total of 1.5 million sandbags from other federal states to help combat the escalating flood situation.
- BR reported that the weather service warned of possible major flooding in the Hase river basin, further challenging the already struggling federal armed forces.
Source: www.stern.de
