Baltic Sea level at the limit: Flood risk for Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania!

Baltic Sea level at the limit: Flood risk for Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania!

In the past few days, the water levels on the Baltic Sea in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have caught up. On June 27, 2025, a comprehensive record of the water levels at various measuring stations will be drawn. Current measurements show that the water levels are stable overall, but show regionally differences. In Wismar, Warnemünde, Althagen, Barth, Stralsund, Sassnitz and Greifswald, the values ​​are important, such as Baltic Sea Zeitung reports.

The most important figures on this day is the water level in Zingst with 514 cm, which is only 7 cm above the middle water. Any value of 512 cm is found elsewhere in Bodstedt. Another remarkable measuring point is Ralswiek, where the water level climbs to 536 cm, which means a difference of 28 cm to the middle water. At the other end of the spectrum, however, values ​​such as 29 cm in Schönberg and 23 cm can also be observed in Hohen Viecheln.

levels under observation

A closer look at the water levels shows that in recent years not only the highest flood levels have anomalies. The highest value in Warnemünde was recorded on November 13, 1872 with 770 cm. In contrast, the lowest water level of 332 cm, which was measured on October 18, 1967, is considered a historical limit. A division into storm surge classes illustrates the urgency of the situation: storm surges are classified from 1.00 to 1.25 m above the middle water level, while very heavy storm surges are over 2.00 m.

The last large storm surge last October caused damage of 56 million euros. The city of Sassnitz is particularly faced with a financial need of approximately 42 million euros to restore the infrastructure, while 6 million euros are needed to compensate for the loss of sand on beaches and dunes. The challenges can be mitigated by the support of warning systems that are provided by various institutions such as the police and fire brigade. These warnings reach the citizens to different channels, from radio to social media to personal speech.

climate acts and flood risk

The global trends show that floods are not just a local problem. Almost 37 percent of all natural disasters have caused floods worldwide since 2000. According to Statista, changes due to climate change and the destruction of natural flood areas are decisive for the more frequent and more intensive flood events. In Germany, 7.6 percent of all addresses are already exposed to statistical flood risk, which will put about 400,000 people in danger in the coming years.

The flood events of 2021, especially in Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia, testify to the vulnerability of our infrastructure with record ranges. The Bundestag has drawn up measures to finance a reconstruction of 30 billion euros, but this process is complex and lengthy. New concepts for avoiding risk.

The current location on the Baltic Sea coast and the stable levels give us a breath for a short time, but the challenges in flood protection get stuck like a sword of Damocles over the regions.

We should remain vigilant and keep an eye on the natural conditions and changes to minimize future damage, and the adaptation of our construction to reality is more demanded than ever.