Berlin
In Germany, there has been only minor flooding so far, but the flood situation in several neighboring countries has already worsened. In Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk called Sunday night a “dramatic challenge”, as a dam there overflowed in the evening. Dozens of places have been declared disaster zones in Austria. The Czech Republic has also been affected. At least four people have died in Romania.
In many parts of Poland, more rain has already fallen than in the so-called Millennium Flood of 1997, Tusk said. He appealed to citizens to evacuate to safety in time, given the rising water levels in many rivers in southwestern Poland.
The situation at the dam in the Glatzer Schneegebirge, on the border between Poland and the Czech Republic, was very critical. “The dam in Miedzygorze is overflowing. The water has been released, but it has reached its peak! The inflow of water is enormous,” wrote the Lower Silesian municipality Bystryca Klodzka to X. Residents of low-lying villages were reportedly evacuated, according to the water management agency.
Evacuations have also expanded in the Czech Republic due to the threat of flooding. Thousands of people have been evacuated to safety in Opava, on the Polish border, authorities said Saturday evening. Hundreds of others have also been forced to leave their homes and move elsewhere in the region.
In Lower Austria, reservoirs are at risk of overflowing.
In Austria, the situation is particularly tense in the Waldviertel region of Lower Austria, north of Vienna, where the Kamp River, a tributary of the Danube, is already experiencing massive flooding. The Vice-President of Lower Austria, Stephan Pernkopf, speaks of a “100-year flood event”, meaning that on average, over the long term, such a situation only occurs once every 100 years.
More rain is expected on Sunday night. There is a risk that the Ottenstein am Kamp reservoir will overflow. The situation is getting worse, according to Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer. The army is ready to provide assistance. Forty-two communities have been declared disaster areas due to the risk of flooding, and 24 still remained early in the evening.
The Danube River in Austria is expected to experience flooding only once every 30 years on average. Water levels are expected to peak on Monday night.
Rain continues in parts of Germany.
In Germany, light flooding occurred in southeastern Bavaria after a storm with heavy rain. The rain on the edge of the Alps is expected to stop by Sunday morning, according to the German Meteorological Agency. Police in Rosenheim said late Saturday evening that they were not aware of any major weather-related operations. In some cases, rivers overflowed their banks and streets were flooded.
“From Sunday afternoon, there will be long-lasting rain in the east in parts of Saxony and Bavaria,” meteorologists said of the outlook. In East Saxony, rainfall amounts of 30 to 50 litres per square metre are expected between Sunday and Monday lunchtime.
According to authorities, the rain in the Czech Republic and Poland could cause flooding there and in Brandenburg. “If the expected high rainfall continues, there is a high probability of flooding on the Lusatian Neisse river from Sunday to Monday, and on the Oder and Elbe rivers from the middle of next week,” said a spokesperson for the Brandenburg Environment Ministry.
Elbe River Bridge debris removed
Dresden, the capital of Saxony, is expected to be on alert level 1 in the morning, with water levels in the Elbe expected to reach four metres. Normal levels are around two metres. Next week, the highest alert level 4 could be in place. Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of water levels exceeding seven metres.
So the partially collapsed remains of the Carol Bridge over the Elbe in Dresden were removed under high pressure. On Saturday evening, the first major demolition of the embankment bridge section towards Neustadt was completed. The city wanted to prevent water from accumulating in the debris and causing further flooding.
notification: This report is part of an automated service of the German Press Agency (dpa), which operates under strict journalistic regulations. The AZ Online editorial team does not edit or check it. Please send questions or comments to Feedback@az-muenchen.de.
