In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, in northeastern Germany, fire departments, the Technisches Hilfswerk relief organization and volunteers have been kept busy trying to keep rising waters under control.
In the towns of Graal-Müritz and Greifswald, water reservoirs are threatening to overflow. Emergency workers have had to pump water from the reservoirs in Graal-Müritz directly into the Baltic Sea.
Rising waters have also threatened parts of Rostock although the situation has now become less tense, according to a fire department spokesperson. The region is seeing an improvement in the weather on Sunday.
A powerful front began dumping rain on Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on Friday. It continued most of the day on Saturday, moving south of other parts of eastern Germany.
In Meißen in Saxony, one street had to be closed because of flooding while in nearby Coswig several streets were nearly under water.
Because of an overall let-up in the rain, traffic officials said on Sunday they don't expect the situation to deteriorate substantially. In much of eastern Germany, water levels are staying fairly constant, although authorities say they are not yet sinking.
Germany's wet summer also means it should prepare itself for an oncoming wave of biting insects, according to researcher Burkhard Schricker. Because of the cool temperatures, insect larvae have developed slowly.
"But as soon as we have a warmer day, we're going to suddenly have a whole lot of mosquitoes," he said.
At least all the rain is good news for mushroom fans. The soggy weather means there will likely be a bumper crop, said mushroom expert Oliver Duty.
DAPD/DPA
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