Germany Evacuates Towns as Flooding Hits, Dykes Strengthened

Towns have been evacuated in Germany after floodwaters rose following heavy rain.

Rivers and streams overflowed when fresh downpours fell on already-soaked ground in the north and east of the country.

Firefighters and volunteers have reinforced dykes against the rising floodwaters.

An artificial dyke – a long tube filled with water from the rising river – has been used in the city of Braunschweig to protect its downtown area.

More flooding is expected on Tuesday evening, German news outlet MDR said on its website, and several roads have been closed in the city, around 43 miles (70km) east of Hanover.

Hundreds of people in Windehausen, around 90 miles (144km) to the south, have been told to leave their homes after the town lost power, the DPA news agency said.

A picture published by the Nordhausen District Office showed roads and gardens flooded all across the town.

It was not clear whether houses had also been affected but some appeared to have escaped the worst.

The situation there is “stable”, MDR said, but warned that parts of the Saxony-Anhalt region were “still struggling with high water levels” affecting rail travel.

It said the highest alert level of four was in place at Helme near the Kelbra dam.

The Saale River has flooded, leaving large areas between Halle and Roepzig submerged.

Hundreds of volunteers and firefighters have used sandbags to reinforce flood defences in Uplengen, near Bremen in northern Germany.

Several floodplains were also underwater on Tuesday in the eastern Netherlands.

Rivers surged, causing localised flooding, and some temporary dykes were being built with large sandbags.

The water levels of the various branches of the Rhine that flow through the Netherlands are expected to peak on Thursday.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte posted on X saying that “the high water causes problems in parts of the country”.