Author(s): Baerbel Koppe
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Flood Disaster; Flood Protection Management; River Oder; Risk Handling
Abstract: In summer 1997 extremely heavy rainfalls in large parts of Eastern Europe resulted in disastrous floods on the river Oder and its upper tributaries in the Czech Republic, in Poland and in Germany. The damage in Poland and the Czech Republic was enormous, while in Germany comparatively little damage occurred. This can be put down to the small German area that is endangered by high water levels of the Oder, the relief by breaches in Polish dikes, the available time for preparation after first reports about the catastrophe in the headwaters and the huge personnel, technical and financial efforts to protect the Oder dikes in the Federal State of Brandenburg. Even if the quelling of the flood disaster at the river Oder speaks for the disaster management in Brandenburg, improvements in flood protection management are necessary. This concerns preventive technical protection measures, as well as preventive measures to minimise the damage potential; observation and forecasting of water levels, early warning systems, disaster control measures and transboundary co-ordination of flood protection measures. Future aspects of the flood protection management in the German Oder region concluded from the flooding in summer 1997 will be highlighted in the paper. Special attention is directed to the integration of the population in flood protection measures.
Year: 1999