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Flooding - Guidance

How to prepare for flooding?

What to do during flooding?

What to do after flooding?

Learn here what to do during flooding.

Use the following to find out if any warnings are currently in place:

Current warnings on Natural Hazards Portal

$t('logo',0) + ' ' + $t('LHPname',2) Germany´s flood alert portal , run by the German federal states

$t('logo',0) + ' ' + $t('DWDname',2) Warnwetter app for weather warnings of Deutscher Wetterdienst

$t('logo',0) + ' ' + $t('MoWaSname',2) NINA Warning app (emergency information and warnings) of Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance

$t('logo',2) + ' ' + $t('KatWarnname') Current Warnings of KATWARN

$t('logo',2) + ' ' + $t('KatWarnname') KATWARN Warning app Download

Portals of the German federal states:

Landeswappen Baden-WürttembergBaden-Württemberg:

Hochwasserportal Baden-Württemberg

Hochwassergefahrenkarten Baden-Württemberg - Flächen

Hochwassergefahrenkarten Baden-Württemberg - Wassertiefen

Landeswappen BayernBayern:

Umweltatlas Bayern

Wappen BerlinBerlin:

Hochwasserinformationen Berlin

Wasserportal Berlin

Landeswappen BrandenburgBrandenburg:

Gefahren- und Risikokarten Hochwasser Brandenburg

Wappen BremenBremen:

Hochwasser- und Küstenschutz, quantitative Wasserwirtschaft Bremen

Wappen HamburgHamburg:

Hochwasserrisikomanagement Hamburg

Landeswappen HessenHessen:

Hochwasser Hessen

HLNUG Hessen: Überschwemmungsgebiete

Landeswappen Mecklenburg-VorpommernMecklenburg-Vorpommern:

Hochwassergefahren - und Risikokarten Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Landeswappen NiedersachsenNiedersachsen:

Hochwasser-Informationen Niedersachsen

Pegeldaten Niedersachsen

Landeswappen Nordrhein-WestfalenNordrhein-Westfalen:

Hochwasserportal NRW

Hochwasserkarten NRW

Flussgebiete NRW "Nach dem Hochwasser"

Landeswappen Rheinland-PfalzRheinland-Pfalz:

Hochwassergefahren- und Risikokarten Rheinland-Pfalz

Landeswappen SaarlandSaarland:

Hochwassergefahren- und Risikokarten Saarland

Landeswappen SachsenSachsen:

Wasser Sachsen

Sachsen Landeshochwasserzentrum

Landeswappen Sachsen-AnhaltSachsen-Anhalt:

Hochwasservorhersage Sachsen-Anhalt

Hochwasserkarten Sachsen-Anhalt

Landeswappen Schleswig-HolsteinSchleswig-Holstein:

Hochwasserkarten Schleswig-Holstein

Landeswappen ThüringenThüringen:

Aktion Fluss - Hochwasserschutz

Hochwassernachrichtenzentrale Thüringen

  • Pay attention to local radio announcements and notifications issued by the police, fire brigade and water protection authorities. Avoid the temptation to satisfy your curiosity: "flood tourism" can hinder the rapid delivery of vital aid and jeopardises people's safety.
  • Monitor the heavy rainfall situation as it develops.
  • Stay calm and focus on your own safety. Don't take any risks to save your home or possessions.
  • Keep well away from flooded areas. The speed and strength of the water current can sweep you away and put you in a life-threatening situation.
  • Never walk through flooded roads/areas or try to negotiate them in a small boat. Danger to life! Potential hazards in the water are not recognisable (e.g. open manhole covers).
  • Do not walk along the water's edge as these areas may be washed out or at risk of collapsing.
  • If possible, contact your children and other family members to arrange how they will get home. Instruct them to get themselves to a safe place. Warn them not to cross flooded areas.
  • Avoid direct contact with the water. Flood water is dirty and heavily contaminated. Protect yourself by wearing protective clothing (e.g. rubber boots, waterproof gloves). Disinfect your hands if you have come into contact with contaminated water.
  • Inform your neighbours.
  • Do not drive on flooded roads and bridges, and especially not through underpasses. Roads may already be washed out and there is a risk of injury from invisible obstacles. There is also a danger from manhole covers which have been swept away leaving open manholes.
  • Follow the instructions of the local emergency services and resist the temptation to satisfy your curiosity. Do not enter any cordoned-off areas: "flood tourism" can hinder the rapid delivery of vital aid and jeopardises people's safety.
  • Keep escape routes clear.
  • Help yourself before helping others. Your own safety always takes priority. Then provide first aid.

To check the risks in your area, see the Hazards & Risks section of the Natural Hazards Portal.