Eastern Germany on full alert as flood waters continue to rise

The emergency services in eastern Germany are on high alert as floodwater levels from the Oder river continue to rise.

The highest alert level 4 was in effect in some regions on Wednesday. Inspectors reported the first seepage points in dykes, and driftwood is also being washed up by the water.

The premier of the state of Brandenburg, Dietmar Woidke, described the situation as serious but under control.

"We are also prepared if things get worse," he said in a visit to the city of Eisenhüttenstadt to get a better sense of the flood response.

He pointed out that the water levels were forecast to drop significantly again from Thursday evening.

An extreme flood like the one in 1997, when towns in the Oder river basin were in danger of being submerged, is not expected this time because dikes and other defences have been improved since then.

Frank Steffen, the administrator of the Oder-Spree district in the state of Brandenburg, expects the emergency services to be able to cope well with the situation. "The mood is tense but calm because we raised the alarm levels in good time," he said.

Sandbag barriers are being built around houses and several roads in the Oder river basin have been closed. The emergency services are using boats to retrieve driftwood from the water, and levels are being monitored with drones.

Beavers are said to be a cause for concern for the emergency services in the flood area, with people walking along the dykes repeatedly reporting damage caused by the rodents. Some Oder regions are allowing hunters to shoot the normally protected animals.