Nature
Flood situation is easing
Volunteers and fire departments have built a large dam made of sandbags on the Helme in recent days. photo
© Heiko Rebsch/dpa
It is very cold, but there is no rain – that eases the situation in the flood areas. In Saxony-Anhalt, however, more work is being done to control the water masses.
Even in the recent past, it was particularly strong The situation in Lower Saxony affected by floods is easing thanks to dry and cold weather. The water levels are falling at all gauges in the catchment area of the Aller, Leine and Oker rivers, as the flood forecast center for Lower Saxony announced.
The German Weather Service (DWD) also predicts mostly precipitation-free weather with lots of sunshine for other regions of Germany. “In the coming days there will be little change in the calm and cold winter weather,” said DWD meteorologist Nico Bauer.
This should make many people in flood areas happy. In Lower Saxony, however, the highest flood warning level 3 still applies on the lower and middle reaches of the Aller and Leine. Here the situation with significantly increased water levels will last for a few more days. In the catchment area of the Hunte and Hase rivers, the water levels in the lower reaches are still at a high level, it was said. They are expected to fall further in the coming days.
The Hase is a tributary of the Ems, the Hunte is a tributary of the Weser. The water levels on the Weser are also falling at all levels. It can be assumed that they will fall below the reporting levels over the course of the week.
Saxony-Anhalt: Working hours extended
In Lower Saxony’s neighboring state of Saxony-Anhalt, civilian helpers continue to work together with soldiers to hold back masses of water in the flood area in the Mansfeld-Südharz district.
Contrary to a decision on Sunday to only work in daylight, an underpass on Autobahn 71 near the A38 was protected with sandbags and so-called big bags on Monday even after darkness fell, said a spokeswoman for the Bundeswehr. The decision to extend the operating hours again was made by the district.
The aim is to strengthen dikes so that they do not break. After the Helme River overflowed its banks in southern Saxony-Anhalt shortly before the end of the year, the district declared a disaster and also asked the Bundeswehr for help.