2023-12-31 14:35:55
Updated31. December 2023, 3:35 p.m
Floods in Germany: Meteorologists warn of “dramatic consequences” due to continuous rain
Although the water masses are slowly draining away, the softened dams might still break, according to the rescue workers. Meteorologists also warn of continuous rain.
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The flood situation in Germany is precarious – and might get drastically worse in the new year.
Heiko Rebsch/dpa
Over 100 liters of rain are expected in just 48 hours, locally it might be even more.
daswetter.com
Although most of the water masses are now flowing away, the softened dams are still in danger of breaking.
Getty Images
That’s what it’s regarding
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The flood situation in Germany remains precarious on Sunday.
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Despite declining water levels, dams might still collapse.
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The situation might worsen significantly once more in the new year.
The ongoing flood situation in several federal states in Germany might worsen significantly once more at the beginning of the new year. On Tuesday and Wednesday there is a risk of heavy, continuous rain in North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate, as daswetter.com reports. Up to 100 liters of rain are expected, locally it will be even more.
The expected rainfall is likely to cause the levels of the Moselle, Main, Rhine and the various tributaries to rise significantly once more – all rivers and streams are already full and the ground is also saturated with water. “If almost a month’s worth of rain actually falls once more within 48 hours, it would have dramatic consequences,” said the meteorologists.
“Dams might continue to break”
On Sunday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz traveled to the affected areas. A federal government spokesman said in Berlin this morning that the Chancellor would get an idea of the situation during a sightseeing flight over the affected areas in Lower Saxony with Prime Minister Stephan Weil and Interior Minister Daniela Behrens.
While the water masses are flowing out in a largely controlled manner, the rescue workers are warning that the dams, which have been weakened in many cases, might break in the affected areas in Lower Saxony, the south of Saxony-Anhalt and areas in North Rhine-Westphalia.
The Mansfeld-Südharz district in the southwest of Saxony-Anhalt declared a disaster on Saturday evening, meaning that the region is now responsible for coordinating the defense measures. “We don’t want to worry people, we want to relieve the burden on local emergency services,” said District Administrator André Schröder to MDR.
Houses are in danger of collapsing due to flood waters
The flood situation is currently particularly tense in northern Germany. In Verden, near the confluence of the Aller and Weser, large parts of the old town are still under water and several houses there are in danger of collapsing.
Lower Saxony’s Interior Minister Behrens complained in an interview with “Spiegel Online” published on Saturday that onlookers were making the work of emergency services in the flood areas more difficult. “The vast majority of the population behaves sensibly and supportively,” said Behrens. “Much more annoying are the onlookers and disaster tourists who appear everywhere in the crisis regions. Many people travel specifically to see the masses of water.”
According to the minister, there were “even sightings of kite surfers traveling in flood areas”. “I can only warn once morest such life-threatening nonsense,” Behrens told “Spiegel”.
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