Cloud breaks, storm surge and rain and more rain.
Since the end of the summer, Denmark has struggled with miserable weather, writes Denmark’s radio.
The result is that rivers, lakes and other surfaces begin to become saturated with water. When it now rains, the water settles on top and the water level rises.
Simon Grünfeld, is area manager for environment and technology in Aarhus. He says the situation is critical.
– It is a situation we are not used to in Aarhus. Critical infrastructure in is at risk, he says.
The bridge in front must be blown up to prevent water from the sewage treatment plants behind from flooding out.
Photo: Reuters
Sewage hazard
Outside Aarhus, crews began to blow up a bridge on Friday.
The authorities fear that the bridge could lead to flooding, which in turn would cause sewage from a treatment plant to overflow.
Aarhus warns that sewage from other facilities has already overflowed.
– People must avoid coming into contact with water from surface water and water from lakes and rivers. But this also applies to water in puddles in residential areas, says Grünfeld.
The water has settled on roads in Jutland for days. Here a car on a flooded road outside Aarhus last Saturday.
Photo: Reuters
Major floods
The problems in Aarhus follow the extreme storm surge that hit parts of Denmark two weeks ago.
The storm surge caused great destruction. Boats were washed ashore, roads were submerged and hundreds of people were evacuated.
South of Præstø in South Zealand, large amounts of water washed over the flood embankments, writes DR.
In an area of summer houses at Roneklint, people rowed around in rubber boats to see how their homes were doing.
Doesn’t end this year
Climate scientists say DR that Denmark can expect more storm surges and cloudbursts in the future.
Area manager Simon Grünfeld is convinced that Aarhus will also have to fight against the bodies of water in the future.
– The situation we have today, we will also see in the future. Maybe already until winter, he says.
According to Grünfeld, in the last month we have seen 20-year, 50-year and 100-year weather events with cloudbursts, storm surges and persistent rain.
– It’s not just today. I will stand here again, says Grünfeld.
The ground is saturated with water and has flooded a road outside Aarhus
Photo: Reuters
Exposed to sea level rise
In the very long term, the storm and the floods are also a reminder that Denmark is a country that is particularly exposed to sea level rise.
In Copenhagen, 2 percent of the population lives below 1 meter above sea level. 4 percent live below 2 meters and 13 percent below five meters above sea level, write ClimateChangePost.
Denmark is now preparing for a future where the sea may rise by 10 to 50 centimeters in 2050 and 20 to 140 centimeters in the year 2100.
Below is today’s Denmark compared to what would have been left of the country if the sea had risen by 5, 20 and 50 metres, respectively. It must be specified that experts say that these are scenarios which, even in the worst case, are several hundred years into the future.
Denmark with five meters of sea level rise
Denmark with five meters of sea level rise compared to today
Floodmap
Denmark with 20 meters of sea level rise
Denmark with 20 meters of sea level rise compared to today
Floodmap
Denmark with 50 meters of sea level rise
Denmark with 50 meters of sea level rise compared to today
Floodmap
2023-11-03 21:41:11
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