BERLIN — The Elbe River flooded low-lying areas of Dresden on
Sunday [March 20], but forecasts indicated that its waters — fed by
rain and melting snow in the Czech Republic — would crest below levels
that devastated the city's cultural treasures in 2002.
Several basements and streets were flooded, including walking trails on the river's bank near the old town. Firefighters distributed sandbags in some parts of town, and pleasure boat traffic was stopped, officials said.
Revising earlier forecasts downward, the state river watch authority said the Elbe was expected to peak in Dresden at 6.20 meters (20 feet) Monday, well below the 7-meter (23-foot) level that would trigger a full-scale flood alert.
Dry weather and a cold snap in Czech and German mountain areas had reduced the flood danger, the authority said.
Streams and Elbe tributaries in other parts of Saxony state also overflowed their banks, but apparently caused no major damage.
When the Elbe reached a record 9.4 meters (nearly 31 feet) three summers ago,
it caused billions in damage in eastern Germany, including to Dresden's museums,
Semperoper and other cultural landmarks.
