In Brandenburg, flood warnings are expected for some Oder regions this week. Alarm level 1 is expected to be declared in Ratzdorf, Eisenhüttenstadt and Frankfurt (Oder) from Wednesday or Thursday. “The wave is yet to come,” said a spokesman for the State Office for the Environment (LfU). Water levels are rising sharply, so that the highest alarm level 4 is expected at the Ratzdorf gauge on Sunday. The state elections in Brandenburg are also due to take place this Sunday.
Crisis team meets on Tuesday in Frankfurt (Oder)
Districts are preparing for a critical flood situation. The dikes are intended to ward off flooding and prevent damage. A crisis team is meeting in Frankfurt (Oder) on Tuesday.
In southwest Poland, the floods devastated several places. In the Czech Republic and Austria, too, there were devastating floods after days of rain. Several people died.
In Brandenburg, the focus is on the situation in Ratzdorf in the Oder-Spree district. The Oder, coming from Poland, first reaches Brandenburg territory there. The small village of Ratzdorf experienced a devastating flood disaster in July 1997.
A noticeable rise in the water level of the Oder on the Brandenburg side is expected in the middle of the week, said the LfU spokesman. According to the authority’s forecast, the water levels in the upper Oder border section will not reach the guideline values for alarm level I until Wednesday at the earliest, more likely on Thursday. Meadows could then be flooded, and farmers should bring animals and machines to safety.
Rise in water levels and alert level 3 expected on Friday
From Friday, the third of four alarm levels can be exceeded at the Ratzdorf, Eisenhüttenstadt and Frankfurt (Oder) gauges. At alarm level 3, properties, streets or cellars can be flooded. According to flood information, it is likely that the highest alarm level 4 will be reached or exceeded. According to the current status, this could be the case at the Ratzdorf gauge on Sunday, said the spokesperson for the State Environmental Agency.
The situation on the Neisse is likely to be less critical than on the Oder. “We will not experience extreme flooding on the Lusatian Neisse,” said the LfU spokesman. The situation on the Elbe is also being monitored to see whether it will worsen. Following the heavy rainfall in the Czech Elbe catchment area and the effects extending as far as Saxony, the current flood situation in the Elbe-Elster district is being closely monitored by the district administration, the district administration in Herzberg announced.
A crisis management team has been activated in the Interior Ministry in Potsdam. The aim is to clarify what precautions are necessary. The Federal Agency for Technical Relief, the fire brigade and the German armed forces are prepared for any support measures that may be necessary, it was said. 2.6 million sandbags are in stock in Brandenburg. “Let’s hope that we don’t have to resort to them,” said Interior Minister Michael Stübgen (CDU) at the weekend.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240916-930-234336/1
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