384,000 people in Germany live in regions with a high risk of flooding. Half of these people live in the Rhine catchment area and around 100,000 in the Elbe catchment area. An area of around 7,000 square kilometres in Germany is at high risk of flooding. This includes almost 100 square kilometres of residential areas. These are the results a recent study by the Independent Institute for Environmental Issues (Revelation).
The number of 384,000 people at risk from flooding corresponds roughly to the figure determined by the German Insurers’ Association (GDV) in the spring, with 300,000 addresses affected.
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The Ufu experts define a high risk of a flood event for people living near a river as follows: Flood events and flooding of more than one meter in height occur on this river every 10 to 20 years.
Flood risk highest on the Rhine
The risk of flooding is highest on the Rhine. According to the study, the areas in which people live in the most dangerous areas are not only on the Rhine but also on its tributaries Ahr, Neckar and Moselle, as well as on the Elbe and its tributaries Saale and Mulde.
In the event of flooding, around 190,800 residents along the Rhine and its tributaries would be harmed. Here, 33 square kilometers of residential and mixed-use areas are potentially affected by flooding. 6.3 square kilometers of residential and mixed-use areas on the Neckar would be affected by a possible flood.
- The situation is also critical in the Elbe river basin. In total, around 98,800 residents here must expect flooding with a high degree of probability.
- Areas that could potentially be flooded during such flood events cover almost 2,534 square kilometers on the Elbe.
- The inhabitants of the regions along the Saale and the Mulde‐Elbe‐Schwarze Elster are particularly at risk of flooding. The inhabitants of the Saale region are hit hardest, with 42,100 people affected.
In general, heavy rain events and droughts are putting increasing pressure on rivers and lakes in Germany. The threats are diverse and, despite early warning systems and mentoring programs, they are only partially predictable. This is the conclusion reached by the Ufu experts.
There is also an increasing risk of low water levels in rivers and lakes, especially in summer. The Ufu experts consider the data on possible weather events in lakes and rivers to be confusing and inadequate.
