Emergency services in eastern Germany are on high alert as the water level of the Oder River continues to rise.
In some regions, the highest warning level 4 was in effect on Wednesday. Inspectors reported the first leaks in dikes and driftwood is also being washed away by the water.
Brandenburg State Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke called the situation serious but under control.
“We are also prepared if the situation gets worse,” he said during a visit to the town of Eisenhüttenstadt to get a better picture of the response to the flooding.
He pointed out that the water level will drop significantly again from Thursday evening.
An extreme flood like the one in 1997, when towns in the Oder basin were at risk of being flooded, is not expected this time, as the dikes and other defences have been improved since then.
Frank Steffen, the administrator of the Oder-Spree district in the state of Brandenburg, expects the emergency services to be able to handle the situation well. “The mood is tense but calm, because we raised the alert levels in time,” he said.
Sandbag barriers are being built around houses and several roads in the Oder basin are closed. Emergency services are using boats to remove driftwood from the water and levels are being monitored using drones.
Beavers are said to be a cause for concern for emergency services in the flood plain, with people walking along the dikes repeatedly reporting damage caused by the rodents. Some Oder regions allow hunters to shoot the normally protected animals.
