Towns reinforce dikes as heavy rains send rivers over their banks in Germany and the Netherlands (2024)

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Towns reinforce dikes as heavy rains send rivers over their banks in Germany and the Netherlands? ›

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Firefighters and volunteers worked to reinforce dikes against rising floodwaters in northern and eastern Germany as heavy rains falling on already soaked ground pushed rivers and streams over their banks and forced several towns to evacuate residents.

How did this extreme flood situation come about and what is special about it? The flood situation was triggered by a series of low-pressure systems that brought moist air from the Atlantic to north-west Europe one after the other.

The depth of the canals are carefully maintained to ensure proper water circulation and prevent flooding. Interestingly, the city relies on approximately 11 million poles driven into the ground to support the canals and prevent them from collapsing. You can read more about Amsterdam canals history here!

Flooding typically occurs when prolonged rain falls over several days, when intense rain falls over a short period of time, or when an ice or debris jam causes a river or stream to overflow onto the surrounding area. Flooding can also result from the failure of a water control structure, such as a levee or dam.

The Germans planned on preventing any further advance of the Allied troops by flooding the Over-Betuwe area to the east. Helped by bombs from the British air force and these newly rising waters, the badly-damaged dike near Ommeren finally gave way and flooded the Neder-Betuwe area to the west as well.

Germany is one of the regions with the highest water loss worldwide. The condition of the forests has deteriorated significantly due to the climate-related prolonged drought and the associated pest infestation. In agriculture, the water shortage has led to significant crop losses.

History of the canals in the Netherlands

In and around the Golden Age, merchants needed to transport their goods and cities needed a way to easily expand and protect themselves. Canals were built to use for drainage, transport, defense and sewage.

Flood control is an important issue for the Netherlands, as due to its low elevation, approximately two thirds of its area is vulnerable to flooding, while the country is densely populated. Natural sand dunes and constructed dikes, dams, and floodgates provide defense against storm surges from the sea.

RIVM works closely together with drinking water companies and government authorities to provide clean, healthy drinking water for everyone. The quality of drinking water in the Netherlands is excellent. The Netherlands sources its drinking water from groundwater and from surface water.

Mississippi River – 1927: The most devastating river flood in U.S. history occurred during April and May of 1927 when the Mississippi River flooded 16 million acres of land across Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.

Where in the US are floods most common? ›

An analysis of data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency showed that Texas annually sees the most losses due to flooding, with New Jersey and Louisiana ranking second and third, respectively.

Also human activities, which damage the environment, for example, sand mining, deforestation and poor garbage disposal, increase the risk of flooding. Areas most likely to be worst affected by flooding are: Low-lying coastal areas.

Rather than biological warfare against civilians, the Wehrmacht used flooding, land mines, and the destruction of vital infrastructure to obstruct the Allied advance. To protect its own troops in the area, the German army sought to contain the increased mosquito breeding likely to be caused by the flooding.

“Companies simply have too much to digest — global rate hikes, high energy prices, less tailwind from China and an erosion of Germany as a business location,” Krämer explained, addressing reasons for the downturn.

After Russia cut off most of its gas to the European Union, spurring an energy crisis in the 27-nation bloc that had sourced 40% of the fuel from Moscow, the German government asked Evonik to keep its 1960s coal-fired power plant running a few months longer.

The level of the Rhine fell significantly over the turn of the year. Due to the heavy rainfall in recent days, the water has been rising sharply again since Wednesday morning, January 3, 2024. The city of Bonn continues to monitor the situation.