The situation remains tense in the flood areas in Germany. Particularly affected are parts of Lower Saxony, the south of Saxony-Anhalt on the border with Thuringia and areas in North Rhine-Westphalia. On Saturday, however, there were signs of a slight relaxation in some places in Lower Saxony.
Meanwhile, according to a “Bild” report, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is planning a visit to the flood areas to thank helpers and show solidarity. Authorities complained that more and more onlookers were traveling to the flood.
According to information from “Bild”, Scholz wants to show those affected that the government is not leaving them alone in this difficult situation, it said on the “Bild” portal. The exact time and place of the visit are still secret. “In the Chancellery they are preparing a helicopter flight to the flood areas very soon,” the article said. There was initially no official confirmation of this.
Most of the operations on Saturday took place in Lower Saxony, where flood warnings were in effect in large parts of the country. After days of constant work, helpers in some places were able to breathe a little easier. The Celle district and the city of Meppen, for example, spoke of slightly falling water levels. However, the highest reporting level at the water gauges has still been exceeded, so that there is still a risk of major flooding, according to the Celle district.
A possible evacuation is being prepared in the city of Oldenburg. The city said the dikes are still under high pressure. Water levels would only fall marginally at most. The federal police are supporting dike security there.
In the Serengeti Park in Hodenhagen, Lower Saxony, the critical flood situation has now eased 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. According to the park, large parts of the area are still flooded and in some cases cannot be reached at all. Lions, rhinos, tigers and elephants, among others, live in the park.
People are trying to return to evacuated houses
In the municipality of Winsen/Aller, evacuated residents returned to their homes several times, the Celle district said. The fire brigade brought the people back. Evacuations are also continuing in the community of Lilienthal near Bremen. A community spokeswoman said around 500 people were reported in the affected areas. It is not yet clear when they will be able to return.
Lower Saxony’s Interior Minister Daniela Behrens (SPD) told “Spiegel” that the police had increased their controls in the restricted areas because of the large number of onlookers. “In fact, there are even sightings of kite surfers traveling in flood areas.” That is life-threatening. “I can only warn against such life-threatening nonsense.”
Many water levels are still above the highest reporting level, as stated in a management report by the State Office for Water Management, Coastal and Nature Conservation (NLWKN). The rain that fell in the Harz on Friday caused the water levels in the upper reaches of the Leine and Oker as well as their tributaries to rise again. However, several water levels had already reached their peak and would fall again.
Rising water levels in Saxony-Anhalt
In Saxony-Anhalt, water levels in some rivers rose again due to rain. The state office for flood protection (LHW) said the heavy rainfall was heavier than initially forecast. Because the soil is already saturated, this has led to rising water levels in some areas.
In the south of Saxony-Anhalt, the situation on the Helme remained tense. Rainfall caused the Kelbra dam on the border with Thuringia to rise further, increasing the outflow from it. This causes the water level in the Helme River to rise. The situation is becoming more and more critical, said the mayor of the southern Harz municipality, Peter Koh.
In a town in the Kyffhäuser district in Thuringia, helpers were horrified to discover on Saturday that unknown people had stolen 40 meters of sandbags from the protective walls along the helmets. According to the district office, the protective wall at Mönchpfiffel-Nikolausrieth was completely removed over 20 meters. The district office wants to file criminal charges.
Water levels falling in North Rhine-Westphalia
In the flood regions of North Rhine-Westphalia, people can breathe a little. “Overall, the trend in water levels is declining,” said a spokesman for the North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of the Environment. Numerous districts again appealed not to enter dikes because they were weakened and could be damaged.
Level online for Lower Saxony flood centers
