Authorities in eastern Germany responded to renewed flooding on Tuesday, one week after unprecedented rains left parts of Central and Eastern Europe badly hit.
The Oder-Spree district in the state of Brandenburg declared its highest alert level early on Tuesday as the Oder river rose again, with waters expected to reach 5.90 metres in the village of Ratzdorf, on the border to Poland.
The river usually flows by the village at a height of around 2.60 metres.
The nearby town of Eisenhüttenstadt has seen initial reports of flooding, with water reaching some houses and inundating gardens and garages.
“We are still filling sandbags,” said a spokeswoman, with the highest alert level expected to be triggered in the town on Wednesday when waters reach 6.30 metres.
Further downstream, the city of Frankfurt an der Oder warned residents to stay away from flood barriers after reports of people accessing them to observe the high waters.
While waters are high around the city, dikes and protective walls are currently holding, authorities said.
Across the border in the Polish town of Słubice, Deputy Mayor Tomasz Stefanski said emergency services were “very well prepared for the arrival of the flood wave.”
Emergency services are also on hand in Ratzdorf, where a 152-metre wall is being built to hold back the river.
The highest alert level means that the threat of flooding poses a risk to lives in the region.
The water level is expected to peak in Ratzdorf on Wednesday and remain high until Friday.
Germany largely escaped the consequences of historic flooding earlier this month in neighbouring Poland, Austria and the Czech Republic.
However, 25 beavers were culled on the Oder by environmental authorities, as the animals can dig deep holes in the protective dikes.
