Escalating Water Levels on the Oder: Over 100 Troops Mobilized for Response

The Technical Relief Agency (THW) has been providing crucial support to districts and municipalities along the Oder River since the weekend, as the region braces for potential flooding.

In response to the rising water levels and forecasts, the Oder-Spree district has declared alarm level 4. THW experts are assigned to the crisis management teams in the Märkisch-Oderland district, the city of Frankfurt (Oder), and the Oder-Spree district, working tirelessly to reinforce flood defenses.

Over 70 THW personnel are working in shifts daily, filling and transporting sandbags for dike defense and deployment to various sites. This operation is being coordinated from a central sandbag logistics hub in Eisenhüttenstadt, which has been operational around the clock since September 22.

Today, THW Regional Representative Sebastian Gold visited the THW personnel at this sandbag logistics hub, gaining insights into the current situation on the Oder. He also paid a visit to the leadership and coordination staff (LuK) in Frankfurt (Oder) to assess the progress of the flood defense efforts.

The THW Regional Representative's visit comes as the agency continues to be called upon by the federal government, both domestically and internationally, to provide aid during crises.

The THW is a federal operational organization with approximately 88,000 volunteers nationwide. Local associations from Frankfurt (Oder), Lübben (Spreewald), Seelow, Fürstenwalde/Spree, Forst (Lausitz), Eberswalde, Prenzlau, Cottbus, Berlin-Mitte, Berlin Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Berlin Pankow, and Lübeck are among those currently in action.

For inquiries or more information, the THW Regional Association Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt can be contacted at Soorstraße 84, 14050 Berlin, or by phone at 030 30682-138. Emails can be sent to [email protected].

In the event of any breaches in the dikes, sandbags can be delivered immediately for repair. The THW stands ready to respond swiftly and effectively to any flood-related emergencies.

The leader of the THW Region Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt during the Oder flood crisis was Mathias Neumann. His leadership and the dedication of the THW volunteers have been instrumental in the ongoing flood defense efforts.