Flood horror in the Harz: How communities fight for their existence!
Flood horror in the Harz: How communities fight for their existence!
Silstedt, Deutschland - July 2017 is remembered as one of the rainworthy months since the beginning of the weather records in 1881. At the Brocken in the Harz, up to 306 liters of rain per square meter fell between the 24th and 26th July when the low pressure area "Alfred" with its day -long rainfall was looking for the region. This extreme weather Situation led to devastating flood events that affected large parts of Lower Saxony, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt. Especially in the Harz, the rainfall with over 300 liters per square meter were catastrophic, which also caused the rivers and streams to overflow. MDR reports that ...
The district of Silstedt in Wernigerode was particularly affected, where the Holtemme river stepped over the bank. In the documentary "Life Resider", the affected residents reported flooded land and the dramatic situation in which a family had to bring their handicapped grandmother to safety from a flooded house with a rubber boat. While the fire brigade in Harsleben and a committed neighborhood fought tirelessly against the damage, the residents were literally overwhelmed by water masses.flooding and evacuations
The situation was dramatically pediented when the water levels reached records at numerous level points. At the water level of the innermost at Hildesheim, the level rose from 2.5 to around 7 meters within a very short time. Disaster alarm was triggered in the city of Hildesheim and the surrounding area, where the water flooded the historic market square. In the district of Goslar, entire districts had to be evacuated, while over 3,400 helpers were used and thousands of sandbags were installed. [Wikipedia describes that…] (https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/hochwasser_im_harz_und_harzvorland_ (2017)) The flood also led to millions of euros in damage, and the extent of the disaster was so serious that during this time the highest severe weather order for parts of Thuringia was.
The zones around the rivers leash, Oker, Ilse, Radau and innermost suffered particularly strongly from the consequences of the flood. These events are part of a larger trend that is observed worldwide: floods represent the most common natural disasters. According to Statista, floods caused since 2000 almost 37 percent of all natural disasters. Global climate change is an essential factor that reinforces the frequency and intensity of such events. Statista proves that ...
flood risks in Germany
In view of the current weather extreme and due to factors such as soil sealing and the destruction of natural flood areas, 7.6 percent of all German addresses are already exposed to a statistical flood risk. Around 400,000 people who live along the Rhine and its tributaries will be threatened by similar damage in the coming years. Future flood events could become even more devastating if the infrastructure is not adjusted accordingly and natural retention rooms are available. The need for consistent flood protection is becoming increasingly pressing.
This is how the 2017 events follow the image of a changing climate that imposes great challenges not only nature, but also society. It remains to be hoped that the teachings from this and similar catastrophes not only result in short -term aid measures, but also set the course for better flood protection in the long term.
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| Ort | Silstedt, Deutschland |
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