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Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz visits flood areas

2024-01-01 13:15:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Hundreds of people during the last days of 2023 were evacuated to safe places due to flooding in several regions in the north and east of Germany. After a helicopter flight over these areas Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in the town of Vreden am Aller in Lower Saxony. He talked with the aid teams about the current situation in the flooded areas, about the measures taken and the expected developments in these areas.

Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz visits flood areas

Scholz thanked the helpers and promised aid from the government. In the background of this natural disaster, it is "important that we show solidarity, and this is happening everywhere", said Scholz. "So for this I want to thank you for this commitment."

However, the chancellor did not give concrete promises regarding financial aid from the federation for the affected areas. He ensured that "the federation supports the lands, districts of the lands and municipalities with its own resources".

Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz visits flood areas

The Prime Minister of Lower Saxony, Stefan Weil, who accompanied the chancellor during the visit, drew attention to the fact that the flood situation in his state is still tense. "We see, that in the northern parts of the land, the pressure of the water masses on the dams is extremely large", explained Weil. So far the dams have resisted, but the more the water pressure increases, the higher the risk of the dams breaking.

Scholz also spoke to people directly affected by the floods and was impressed by the cooperation and civic engagement. "The weather, nature challenges us," he said. There are "extraordinarily many volunteers, who care, that everything possible is done to minimize the consequences".

Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz visits flood areas

The chancellor emphasized that in the meantime many investments have been made in the security infrastructure in Germany and this will continue in the future. Meanwhile, the situation in the flood zones is tense mainly in the north of Germany. Although there has been a slight retreat towards the bed of the Aller River and other rivers since Saturday (30.12.2023) lowering the water level, the risk of a possible breach of the dams has not been definitively avoided.

In Vreden, large parts of the historic city are under water and some houses are at risk of collapse. The synoptic service of Germany predicts new rainfall in the north-west of the country, which may also affect the flooded areas./ DW