Flooding levels ease in southern and central Germany
The level of the Rhine and other rain-swollen rivers in south-western Germany fell on Saturday after surging to more than six metres in some places the previous day.
Other parts of the country also reported an improved situation after heavy rainfall accompanied the New Year in many regions, causing rivers to break their banks and stretching the emergency services to the limits.
Flood gauges on the Rhine in the south-western city of Mainz showed a maximum height of 5.21 metres on Friday evening. In Koblenz, where the Moselle River joins the Rhine, a more than two-year high of 6.64 metres was registered during the afternoon.
In Trier, also on the Moselle and near the border with Luxembourg, the water level was expected to fall below 6.00 metres on Sunday morning.
According to the regional flood forecasting centre, the water level on the entire Moselle and its tributaries was decreasing.
"No significant precipitation is forecast for the next few days, so the water levels will continue to fall over the weekend and in the course of the coming week," the centre said.
Floodwaters were also receding in the central German state of Saxony-Anhalt. In the area of Sangerhausen, troops were deployed overnight to sandbag an endangered dam on the River Helme, which had already burst its banks in late December.
The dam had to be drained fully to secure it, an army spokeswoman said, with reinforcement work due to continue over the weekend.
