The Moselle was placed on red alert for flood risks by Météo-France, Saturday May 18, due to a “exceptional flood” Nieds rivers, with a peak “of the order of five meters”, according to Vigicrues. The monitoring service reports a “direct and generalized threat to the security of people and property”. “The exceptional rains observed caused a rapid rise in all the watercourses in the Nieds watershed”notes Vigicrues. “On the French Nied, the moderate reaction will continue” Saturday in the sectors “d’Ancerville and Condé-Northen”asserts Vigicrues, also announcing a “significant reaction” of the German Nied which “will continue Saturday and Sunday” in the sectors of “Faulquemont and Varize”. “On the Nied Réunée, the flood peak, with a height of around five meters, is underway in the Filstroff sector”, indicates the same source. The height reached exceeds “the historic floods of April/May 1983 and February 1997”, notes Vigicrues. Follow our live stream.
Several departments on alert. The Moselle had been placed on red rain-flood alert on Friday, but the alert was downgraded to orange at 10 p.m. The department, however, has been placed on red alert for the risk of flooding. Neighboring Bas-Rhin was kept on orange “flood” alert by Météo-France at 6 a.m., while the alert was downgraded to yellow for the Vosges and Meurthe-et-Moselle.
Heavy rainfall. The Moselle experienced abundant rainfall: “The equivalent of more than a month of rain fell in less than 24 hours”explained the prefecture on Friday evening, referring to a situation “impressive but not dramatic” and not deploring “no deaths or injuries”.
Emergency services mobilized. More than 1,000 firefighters and 642 engines were mobilized to respond to the emergency, according to state services.