Elbe floods: water level lower than expected

The Elbe flood has reached its highest level in Saxony. The maximum water level remained lower than initially forecast. The risk of flooding has now been completely averted for the other rivers in Saxony, the State Environment Agency announced on Friday. The city of Dresden began dismantling a flood protection gate.

The flood peak of the Elbe had already passed the gauges in Schöna on the Czech border and in Dresden on Thursday. In the state capital, the water level of the Elbe rose to 5.95 meters - and thus remained below the six-meter mark, above which the second-highest alert level 3 would have been declared. Downstream in Riesa, the guideline value for alert level 3 was also not reached.

In the coming days, more rain is expected in Saxony. However, the amount of precipitation is expected to remain manageable at less than five liters per square meter.

The situation has eased further in the other river basins in the state. There had been flooding there at Christmas. All water levels on the Mulde and Weiße Elster rivers are now below the flood warning level again, according to the Environment Agency.