Mudslide in Rittmitz: Residents demand better flood protection!

Mudslide in Rittmitz: Residents demand better flood protection!

In the last few days a tense situation has developed in Rittmitz, Kattnitz and Kiebitz. Residents are preparing for impending rains that could once again wash mud from the fields onto the streets. On Tuesday afternoon, the fire department went out to clean the streets that had become impassable due to the mud. According to Sächsische.de, local fire chief Denny Thomas became active at 3:16 p.m. and alerted firefighters from Ostrau and Rittmitz.

This is the second mudslide to hit the region this year. Teichstraße, also known as “Schleifenberg”, and the intersection with Flachsmühlenweg are particularly affected. A whopping 18 liters of rainwater fell in just 15 minutes, encouraging trickles of mud and water. Just a month earlier, on June 15, 45 liters in half an hour caused similar problems.

Common solutions required

At a recent council meeting, concerned citizens of Rittmitz expressed their concerns about flood protection. Together they want to develop solutions to better protect themselves from the consequences of extreme weather events. Because long-term measures are urgently needed to protect the following villages. A local tour is planned for mid-August to explore the local conditions in more detail.

The Central Saxony District Office plays an important role in this discussion, as Teichstrasse is considered a district road. The critical situation is that there is only one gully there, which has not been sufficiently cleaned. Nine firefighters were deployed to make the roads passable again. The operation was led by Björn Simniok, the second deputy municipal fire chief of Jahnatal.

Short-term and long-term measures

Following the early warning reports, employees of the construction yard also worked on cleaning the Feldhäuser street in Kiebitz. During a previous heavy rainfall, around 15 centimeters of mud had accumulated there. A lapwinger took timely protective measures to ensure that her property was less affected. The mayor of Kiebitz, Franziska Dinor, praised the building yard's quick response and thereby underlined the need for a well-organized crisis response.

In view of these recurring flood events, the question arises as to how communities can better protect their citizens and property. According to Federal Agency for Civic Education, all components of flood risk – danger, exposure and sensitivity – must be taken into account. Effective flood prevention requires both technical and natural flood protection. In Saxony, around 530 million euros were invested in technical flood protection between 2002 and 2012.

In order to achieve lasting improvement, not only government measures are required, but also private provision by citizens. Since complete protection against flooding is not possible, dikes and individual measures are considered crucial. A discussion about responsibility and cost distribution between the state and citizens in flood areas is therefore essential, as the Federal Environment Ministry makes clear.