Dresden – Due to the rising level of the Elbe, the Terrassenufer in Dresden city center was closed on Christmas Eve, and on Tuesday the Christmas Circus also had to cancel the events planned for Boxing Day in the Ostragehege.
The heavy rainfall of the past few days and the beginning of melting snow are causing the water level of the Elbe to continue to rise significantly. On Tuesday morning it is currently 5.52 meters at the Augustus Bridge.
The Terrassenufer in Dresden has been closed due to flooding
“The ecumenical service, which was supposed to take place on December 26th at 10:00 a.m. in the Grand Chapiteau, unfortunately has to be canceled due to the rising levels of the Elbe. On behalf of the clergy, all participants and also the artists, we thank you for your understanding,” said the circus managing director Dr. Dirk Porn with.
And the shows on December 26th at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. also have to be canceled due to the continued increase in water volumes in the Elbe.
Alert level 3 from Wednesday in Dresden
Flood alert level 3 is expected on Wednesday. The highest level is expected on Friday at 6.37 meters. The normal level of the Elbe is two meters; during the flood of the century in 2002 it was 9.40 meters. The level is expected to rise further in the next few hours, as is the alert level.
At the Elbe gauges Schöna and Dresden must be on Wednesday, December 27th. with the second highest alert level can be expected. The State Office for the Environment announced this on Monday on X (formerly Twitter).
In Meißen, the Christmas circus on the Elbe was evacuated or cleared on Sunday. The circus then thanked the many volunteers on social networks.
The flood situation remains tense in many parts of Saxony. On Christmas Day, the second highest alert level three on the four-level scale continues to apply at three gages in the Mulde. Specifically, this affected Golzern near Grimma, the Freiberger Mulde near Leisnig and Kriebstein.
In Grimma, the flood gate on the Mulde was closed on Christmas Eve, preventing water from entering the city center
“The flood wave is running downstream and will reach the crest in Bad Düben on the border with Saxony-Anhalt on Tuesday morning,” said Uwe Büttner from the State Office for the Environment, Agriculture and Geology to the German Press Agency (dpa).
“We have a calm flood situation,” said Büttner. In some regions, such as the Chemnitz area, the water levels have fallen again since Christmas Eve. It rained heavily in Saxony for several days in a row and snowed in the hills and mountains. Due to the flooding and rising headwaters, roads had to be closed.
The German Weather Service (DWD) has predicted further changeable weather with rain. Melting snow and thaw are also expected in the Ore Mountains. The city of Grimma put its flood protection system into operation on Christmas Eve and closed the flood gates.
Flood warning level 3 means that flooding can occur in built-up areas and cause major damage. The population was asked to stay away from flowing water, avoid basements, underpasses and the like and not to cross flooded areas on foot or in vehicles.
