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WEATHER

WEATHER: German flood zones at risk of further storms

Just a week after floods devastated several regions in western Germany, meteorologists are warning of further heavy rain and thunderstorms that could strike over the weekend.

Published: 22 July 2021 11:31 CEST
Updated: 22 July 2021 13:16 CEST
WEATHER: German flood zones at risk of further storms
Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler in Rhineland-Palatinate could see further heavy rain over the weekend. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Thomas Frey

Some regions could be hit by further heavy rainfall, said a meteorologist from the German Weather Service (DWD) on Thursday – though experts are still unsure where exactly these showers could strike.

As helpers and residents continue to clear up the wreckage left by last week’s storms, Rhineland-Palatinate – one of the areas worst affected by the floods – is bracing itself for further thunderstorms and rain showers over the weekend, along with neighbouring Saarland. 

READ ALSO: ANALYSIS: Why Germany faces tough questions over its disaster response

After a few days of sunshine, storms and heavy rain are also likely to threaten parts of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) on Saturday and Sunday, according to DWD. 

The rainclouds are forecast to arrive in Rhineland-Palatinate on Saturday, with localised rain-showers at noon that will spread across the region in the afternoon.

Local thunderstorms are also likely to appear on Sunday during the day, the meteorologists said.

On Friday, North Rhine-Westphalia is set to see a continuation of this week’s warm and sunny weather, with storm clouds gathering on Saturday.

The Eifel region, which was ravaged by flash floods on the 14th and 15th of July, will be the first area to be affected by the thunderstorms. These will spread across the state on both Saturday and Sunday. 

‘No all-clear’ for more extreme weather

On Thursday, the DWD spoke of the previous week’s catastrophe as an “event of the century”.

According to climate experts, an unusually large number of stations in the west all simultaneously broke weather records due to the sheer amount of rainfall. Within a few hours or days, regions experienced an average of 1.5 times the entire average rainfall for the whole of July. 

According to existing weather records, the most intense and heavy rainfall usually occurs between May and September in Germany – meaning it could still be too early to give the all-clear.

“It can be assumed that there will be more extreme weather events in 2021,” DWD confirmed.

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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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