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WEATHER

Parts of Germany hit by flooding as torrential rain wreaks havoc in central Europe

Rising water levels are continuing to hit parts of Germany while flooding is causing devastation in nearby countries, with at least 18 deaths reported so far.

Published: 17 September 2024 10:33 CEST
Waters of the Elbe river overflow the banks between the Dresden districts of Kaditz and Mickten on Tuesday September 17th.
Waters of the Elbe river overflow the banks between the Dresden districts of Kaditz and Mickten on Tuesday September 17th. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Sebastian Kahnert

The highest flood warnings have been issued in several countries including Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania. 

So far, at least 18 people have lost their lives in the catastrophic, days-long rainfall of Storm Boris, while several others are missing. Roads and fields are flooded, cellars and houses are full of water while dams and dykes have been destroyed. 

Since Thursday, Austria has been lashed by torrential rain, with regions like Lower Austria and Vienna recording unprecedented levels. 

READ ALSO: When will the torrential rain in Austria stop?

Germany has not seen the same extent of torrential rain as other countries but people living along the Oder and Elbe rivers are facing difficulties.

In Saxony, anxious eyes are focused on the Czech Republic and the Elbe river. Water masses from the neighbouring country are reaching Germany with a delay.

In Dresden, the water level of the Elbe is already more than four times the normal level of 1.42 metres and is expected to exceed the six metre mark during the course of the day. During the devastating flood of 2002, it reached a high of 9.40 metres.

Flood protection measures in the Elbe river in Dresden on Tuesday.

Flood protection measures in the Elbe river in Dresden on Tuesday. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Sebastian Kahnert

Bavaria affected by persistent rainfall

According to forecasts by the German Weather Service (DWD), the heavy rain in the south and east of Bavaria is expected to subside by midday on Tuesday. But residents have been trying to manage rising water. 

In Passau, the water level of the Danube exceeded the second highest warning level 3 early on Tuesday, the Bavarian Flood Information Service reported.

Several roads, footpaths and car parks were closed due to flooding and rising water levels. The Sempt River in Upper Bavaria is also swelling again after an initial drop in water levels. Warning level 3 was also reached at the Berg gauge near the municipality of Wörth (Erding district).

Rainfall is expected to ease in some of the affected areas this Tuesday as the clean-up gets underway. 

In wider Germany, the weather is expected to heat up again in the coming days after the chilly autumnal spell, with highs of 25C in Berlin expected. 

With reporting from DPA

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FLOODS

German communities brace for flooding as water levels continue to rise

Water levels on the Elbe and Oder rivers in Germany are rising, sparking preparations for floods as the clean-up across central Europe gets underway.

Published: 19 September 2024 10:12 CEST
German communities brace for flooding as water levels continue to rise

As several countries in Europe face the devastating aftermath of severe flooding following torrential rain, communities in some regions of Germany are trying to manage rising water levels. 

According to a forecast by the state flood centre, the water on the Elbe river has not yet reached expected peaks. In the city of Dresden, the Elbe rose above the six-metre mark on Wednesday. There, as well as in Schöna on the border with the Czech Republic, the flood peak is expected on Thursday.

There is a cautious all-clear along other rivers in the east and south of Germany. Further north, however, Brandenburg is looking anxiously at the Oder river, which is expected to bring more water in the coming days.

READ ALSO: Parts of Germany hit by flooding as torrential rain wreaks havoc across central Europe

Flood crisis teams are due to meet in Frankfurt (Oder), located at the border with Poland, and other municipalities in Brandenburg on Thursday. A level 1 flood alert was issued for sections of the river on Wednesday.

According to the State Office for the Environment, floodplains and meadows close to the banks are expected to start flooding, with the areas of the Oder village of Ratzdorf to Eisenhüttenstadt particularly affected.

The state office believes the highest alert level – level 4 – with a water level of around six metres will be reached in the next few days near Ratzdorf, where the Oder reaches Brandenburg territory.

Clean-up work underway in central and eastern Europe

In the flood-hit areas from Poland to the Czech Republic and Austria, the clean-up work has now begun, but the situation is only slowly easing.

In many places, the emergency services are still struggling with masses of water. Soldiers are also providing support in Poland and the Czech Republic. However, the authorities are not yet giving the all-clear. So far, more than 20 people have tragically lost their lives in the region due to the extreme weather.

In the Polish city of Wroclaw in the west of the country, the flood wave was not expected until Thursday night. As several tributaries that also carry a lot of water flow into the Oder between Olawa and Wroclaw, the possibility of flooding in the Lower Silesian metropolis cannot be ruled out, said an expert.

Flooding in Bresgau Poland

A drone captures the high water levels in Bresgau, Poland, on September 19th. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/PAP | Maciej Kulczynski

Flood defences in Wroclaw have been reinforced as a precautionary measure. One third of the city of 630,000 inhabitants was flooded during the Oder flood in 1997.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to visit Poland on Thursday afternoon. According to the EU Commission, the trip is being organised at the invitation of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, his Slovakian counterpart Robert Fico and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer are also expected to attend the meeting.

The talks are likely to focus on the question of funds from Brussels for reconstruction although the extent of the damage is still unclear.

With reporting from DPA

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