Continuous rain has caused flooded streets, flooded cellars and landslides in Saarland. The German Weather Service lifted its severe weather warning, but the damage cannot yet be predicted. Chancellor Scholz wants to find out more on site.
A federal state in a state of emergency: Heavy, persistent rain caused flooding and landslides in Saarland yesterday and today. There was initially no information about any injuries. The German Weather Service (DWD) lifted all severe weather warnings in Germany early this morning. This meant that there were no longer any warnings of “extremely heavy, persistent rain” in Saarland or Rhineland-Palatinate, as the DWD announced.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz wants to get an idea of the situation today together with Prime Minister Anke Rehlinger in Saarland. Rehlinger says in an interview with Saarland Radio (SR), the situation was “very tense”. It must be assumed that there will be massive damage, both to the public infrastructure and to citizens. “It is absolutely clear that we are dealing with an event of national importance.”
“Can’t think about cleaning up yet”
The exact extent of the damage will probably only become visible with daylight. Emergency services struggled with the masses of water on Friday and throughout the night. Videos showed half-flooded cars, caravans stuck in the floodwaters and numerous flooded streets. Buildings were poorly protected with sandbags, and in some cases entire streets were under water.
The Interior Ministry said on Friday evening that it was being examined whether help should be requested from surrounding federal states. A ministry spokesman said: “It’s still a long way from being able to think about cleaning up.”
Saarbrücken declared a major disaster
The state capital Saarbrücken, as well as several districts, declared a major disaster. The population was asked to avoid basements, bodies of water and flooded areas due to the persistent rain. Several buildings in the city had to be evacuated. The city set up alternative accommodation in schools and a citizens’ telephone. “We have evacuations everywhere,” said a spokesman for the situation center in Saarbrücken. “It’s raining everywhere, nationwide.”
In Rußhütte, a district of the state capital Saarbrücken, people were evacuated with amphibious vehicles and boats. The situation was “precarious” because the current speed was so high that the fire brigade had to call off and flow rescuers from the German Red Cross were called in, said the spokesman for the Interior Ministry.
The electricity was switched off in Ottweiler
In the old town of Ottweiler in Saarland, the electricity had to be switched off overnight as a precaution, as a spokesman for the Interior Ministry said. There the dams gave way and water ran into the old town. “We have a major damage situation here,” said District Administrator Sören Meng in a video on Facebook. The emergency services are constantly on the move. “The consequences for the district are very great. Almost all cities and communities are affected.”
In Völklingen in Saarland, streets have been taken off the power grid due to the persistent rain. “Damages in the millions are expected in Völklingen, especially in the private sector,” it said. “The extent of the damage is not yet foreseeable.”
Cabinet promises financial help
The state government sent a message to citizens that night and initiated the first steps for financial aid. Decisions were made at short notice “through which help is available to repair the damage that has occurred,” explained Prime Minister Rehlinger. But no one can yet name specific amounts.
In a call late on Friday evening, the Council of Ministers identified a so-called elementary event of supra-local significance. According to the State Chancellery, this means that state aid can flow. In addition, municipalities could deviate from budget balancing regulations due to the extraordinary emergency situation.
100 liters of rain per square meter within 24 hours
The State Office for Environmental and Occupational Safety said it was a flood event that occurs every 20 to 50 years. The office expected water levels on the Lower Blies to continue rising until the afternoon. The DWD measured more than 100 liters of rain per square meter in less than 24 hours in some places.
A DWD meteorologist said that rivers and infrastructure were not prepared for this heavy rain. For comparison: In the entire month of April, around 74 liters of rain per square meter were measured in Saarland – and this was a sixth more precipitation than normal in that month.
Also Danger of flooding in Rhineland-Palatinate
The rain also caused numerous missions in Rhineland-Palatinate. The Trier-Saarburg district as well as the southern Palatinate and the cities of Trier, Zweibrücken and Ludwigshafen were particularly affected by the continuous rain. Cellars and streets were full and trees fell over, as the coordination office of the Supervisory and Services Authority (ADD) reported. No one was initially injured. Many smaller streams and rivers overflowed their banks.
In Schoden an der Saar in the Trier-Saarburg district, around 220 people had to leave their homes as a precaution because of the risk of flooding, as the district administration announced. The water level in the Saar had previously risen so much due to the constant rain that there were fears that the embankment would be flooded.
Helpers wanted to try to stabilize the dam with sandbags. “In almost all places along the Saar, streets and buildings are flooded, and in many communities smaller bodies of water are overflowing their banks,” said the district authority.