AFPHoogwater in de Aa in Pas-de-Calais
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 08:37
The depression that caused Storm Henk in the Netherlands is also causing inconvenience to other countries in Northwestern Europe, mainly due to the rain it brings. In France, code red has been declared in the Pas-de-Calais department. The water in the Aa river in particular is high, almost as high as in November. In many places the river has already burst its banks.
The service that monitors water levels warns for “the safety of people and their belongings”. Interior Minister Damarnin has sent an additional 120 firefighters and soldiers to this department, as well as additional pumps. On X he says that he has asked “Europe” to send pumps with an extra large capacity.
Code orange applies in other departments in the north of France. More storms and rain are expected in the north and west of France today.
In Belgium, the governors of East Flanders and Flemish Brabant are meeting this morning to discuss flooding in their provinces. writes the VRT in a live blog. In Ghent, measures are being taken in connection with a very high water level in the Leie. The fire brigade hands out sandbags.
In Ninove, just west of Brussels, the Dender is in danger of flooding. The nineteenth-century dams and locks were supposed to be renovated by 2020 so that they can drain more water, but this has not yet happened.
In Wallonia, 17 watercourses are at risk of overflowing their banks. In the province of Luxembourg, the fire brigade has received many requests for help due to flooding. “We have not yet counted the number of calls, but it is enormous,” a spokesperson told VRT.
Germany
In Germany, code orange or code red applies almost everywhere due to storms and rain, with the exception of the northeast. It will continue to rain heavily in many places in Germany until tomorrow.
Just like before New Year’s Eve, authorities in several states fear dike breaches. In the state of Lower Saxony, bordering the Netherlands, the fire brigade has almost run out of sandbags.
2024-01-03 07:37:11
#storms #high #water #levels #France #Belgium #Germany
