It was relatively dry for days, but now new rain has set in – and the situation in the flood areas could worsen further. In Lower Saxony, numerous river levels are still above the highest reporting level.
There are currently no signs of relief in the flood areas in several federal states. The German Weather Service (DWD) warns of continuous rain in parts of Germany, which is expected to last until Thursday night. Specifically, the DWD’s warning situation report states: “From Lower Saxony to the Black Forest and in the eastern low mountain ranges there are sometimes high amounts of rain.” This could worsen the situation in the affected regions.
Emergency services have been in constant operation in several regions for days. These are mainly affected Lower Saxonyparts of North Rhine-Westphalia, Thuringia and the south of Saxony-Anhalt.
The Lower Saxony Ministry of the Interior spoke this morning of a critical situation. A so-called extraordinary event has still been detected in some municipalities. This means that districts or cities can, for example, more easily access auxiliary staff. This level applies in six districts and the city of Oldenburg. The affected districts are Celle, Oldenburg, Emsland, Osterholz, the Heidekreis and Verden.
Many water levels remain above the highest reporting level
Many river levels in Lower Saxony are still above the highest reporting level due to ongoing flooding. This emerges from an overview from the State Office for Water Management, Coastal Protection and Nature Conservation from Tuesday morning. Several places on the Weser, Aller and Leine are affected. In some places the water level fell by several centimeters, but in several it rose slightly.
In Drakenburg an der Weser, the water level on Tuesday at 7 a.m. was 16 centimeters above the highest reporting level, as was the case in the municipality of Dörverden. According to the DWD, continuous rain is expected in areas on Tuesday with 30 to 40 liters of rain per square meter within 24 hours. It is expected to stay rainy on Wednesday too.
Lilienthal closes forests
In the flood-threatened community of Lilienthal near Bremen, two forests are no longer allowed to be entered. “Due to the increased ground and surface water levels and the persistently high water levels, the forest soils have become so softened that some trees are no longer stable and are currently partially uprooted and falling over,” says the relevant general order.
Accordingly, the ban is absolutely necessary in order to avert the impending danger to people’s lives and health. The ban will apply until checks show that the forests are considered safe again. The general order was published on New Year’s Day and affects the Butendieker Geholzz and Mittelholz forests.
In Lilienthal, access to the dikes and the areas close to the dikes is not permitted due to the flooding. “The dykes, the areas near the dykes and their access roads have become softened due to the heavy rainfall and the persistently high water levels,” says the general order.
“If you enter, there is a risk that the dikes will break, the water will spread uncontrollably and flood vulnerable areas, especially residential areas.” Because of the flooding in the community near Bremen, some residents had to temporarily leave their apartments and houses.
Rising water levels also in Thuringia
The water level on the Werra in southern Thuringia has also been rising again since the morning. According to the State Office for the Environment, Mining and Nature Conservation in Jena, it is to be expected that some water levels will reach the reporting start again during the course of the day and especially on Wednesday night.
The DWD warns of heavy, continuous rain in parts of Thuringia until Friday, this particularly applies to the southwestern Thuringian Forest and the southern Harz. In northern Thuringia, significant increases in water levels are expected on the Zorge and Bere as well as on the Unstrut.
In the morning, four water levels in Thuringia had exceeded the reporting start again. The Nahe in Hinternah, the Unstrut in Oldisleben, the Saale in Saalfeld-Remschütz and the Bere in Ilfeld in northern Thuringia were affected. At the Helme in the Kyffhäuser district, a decision will be made during the day whether a dike breach at Mönchpfiffel-Nikolausrieth will be deepened again in order to divert floodwaters onto fields. The dike was opened in a controlled manner by excavators last Thursday to prevent the town of 300 residents from flooding.
Red Cross calls for expansion Disaster preparedness
The German Red Cross (DRK) is pushing for better preparation for such crises. “We need more and better equipment for disasters in Germany,” said DRK President Gerda Hasselfeldt to the Rheinische Post. “The deficits are glaring, especially when it comes to material equipment.” After the flood disaster in the Ahr Valley in the summer of 2021, the politically responsible people’s awareness of civil protection increased. “There’s not much left of it now.”
There is a concept, but its implementation is stalling due to very limited budget resources. The political consensus was to “procure ten mobile care modules for use when infrastructure is destroyed. So far there is only one,” complained Hasselfeldt. According to them, with a module that consists of tents, for example, up to 5,000 people can be accommodated, looked after and comprehensively provided for. “We are not predicting crises. But it is foreseeable that we will be affected by disasters more and more often. Possibly at the same time.”
On New Year’s Eve, Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited a flood area in Lower Saxony, and a day later, Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser. She promised further support.