The flood situation remains critical in many parts of Germany. Hundreds of people near Bremen are still unable to go to their homes. Elsewhere there is slight relaxation. DLRG, THW and other emergency services are in constant use. However, no new rain is expected in the flood areas in Lower Saxony today, according to the German Weather Service.
Lower Saxony sees itself as well positioned with rescue workers. It is assumed that the situation can be managed with our own strength over New Year’s Eve, a spokesman for the Ministry of the Interior told the German Press Agency. Tens of thousands of helpers have been on duty for days. A federal police helicopter is on duty to provide support. The spokesman said that the country had also asked for help from the Bundeswehr.
Antelopes and giraffes in the dry
In the Serengeti Park in Hodenhagen, Lower Saxony, the critical flood situation is easing slightly. Pumps on the site managed to push large amounts of water behind the dike towards Meiße, said a spokeswoman for the amusement park north of Hanover. The water in the animal house for the antelopes and giraffes also sank noticeably and flowed out of the building again. According to the park, large parts of the area are still flooded and in some cases cannot be reached at all.
The German Life Saving Society DLRG is deployed with numerous volunteers – with a focus on the Serengeti Park. Among other things, a flow could be closed there, it is said. Emergency services are also busy defending dikes elsewhere.
High water levels on the Weser
In the city of Meppen, which was particularly affected by the floods, water levels have fallen minimally, according to a statement from the city. In the Lower Saxony city, which lies on the Ems and Hase, people have had to be rescued from cars and houses several times. In addition, a campsite and a retirement home, among other things, were evacuated.
In Lilienthal, right on the state border with Bremen, hundreds of people are still unable to go to their homes. The evacuations were continuing, said a community spokeswoman. Around 500 people are reported in the affected areas. They have not been allowed into their homes for several days. Numerous roads in the Celle district are still closed. The district also announced that evacuated residents in Winsen had returned to their homes several times. The fire brigade brought the people back. A ban on entry has therefore been issued for the evacuated areas.
At some gauges on the Weser, the water levels are still above the highest reporting level, as shown in a management report from the State Office for Water Management, Coastal and Nature Conservation (NLWKN) this morning. There is a warning of major flooding for the Leine, Aller as well as the Upper and Middle Weser, it goes on to say.
Rising water levels in Saxony-Anhalt, declining in Saxony
In Saxony-Anhalt, water levels in some rivers rose again due to rainfall. The state office for flood protection (LHW) said the heavy rainfall was heavier than initially forecast.
In the south of Saxony-Anhalt, the flood situation on the border with Thuringia remains critical, according to authorities. “Unfortunately, there is no relief in sight,” said the mayor of the southern Harz community, Peter Kohl, on Saturday. Rainfall caused the Kelbra dam to rise further. Water must therefore continue to be drained there in a controlled manner. This has been happening for days and the water in the Helme River is rising as a result. On Saturday, the water level in Bennungen was almost half a meter above the guideline value of two meters for the highest alert level.
Meanwhile, the flooding of the Elbe in Saxony continues to recede. A water level of 5.30 meters was measured at the Dresden gauge on Saturday morning. A day earlier it was 5.92 meters. Normal is around 2 meters. In the state capital, as well as in Schöna on the Czech border and downstream in Riesa, alert level 2 was still in effect. The hydrologists expect water levels to continue to fall. There were no longer any flood warnings for the other river areas in Saxony.
THW expects use until the first week of January
The Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) prepared to operate in the flood areas until the first week of January. “It is very clear that this will last through the turn of the year,” THW President Sabine Lackner told the German Press Agency on Friday. “What concerns us greatly is the condition of the dikes.” They were massively softened. Around 1,000 emergency services are on the move in the affected areas every day.
Disaster tourists cause problems
Numerous districts again appealed not to enter dikes because they were weakened and could be damaged. In the city of Oldenburg there is a ban on entering dikes, which is punished with up to 5,000 euros. The Verden fire department also reported disruptive disaster tourists. The Osterholz district fears that there will be many onlookers in the flood area on New Year’s Eve.
Further restrictions on rail
Due to the weather and flooding, rail travelers have to prepare for delays and route closures for longer than planned. The connection between Oldenburg and Osnabrück is still restricted due to the flooding, said a spokeswoman for the Nordwestbahn on Friday.
