Greenpeace warns of possible ecological disaster in Germany

The highest point has past

Floodwater is inundating the center of chemical industry of Germany, the town of Bitterfeld. As a spokesman for the city said, the situation is not clear at the moment. Hundreds of volunteers have been working together with rescue services whole days and nights. People were bolstering up the levee with sandbags.

RIA Novosti reported that a part of Bitterfeld’s 16- thousand-strong population had been evacuated on Saturday. If the water bursts the dam and engulfs the central area of the town, then this would be a disaster. Bitterfeld used to be the center of the chemical industry of the German Democratic Republic. There are currently around 350 chemical enterprises operating there. The city's government says that chemical substances are being stored at a height that will not be reached by the floods. However, Greenpeace has warned everyone of a possible ecological disaster.

Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and German President Johannes Rau called upon the people of Germany to contribute as much as they can to the fund for the victims of the flood. The German mass media reported that former Defense Minister Rudolf Scharping donated 12 thousand 520 euros to the fund. Chancellor Schroeder fired Rudolf Scharping in July on the allegation of shady financial operations. This sum was paid to Scharping after he was deprived of his job. Formula One champion Michael Schumacher donated one million euros.

Local observers say that the devastating flood in Germany has evoked an incredible feeling of solidarity and sympathy to those who suffered from the Elbe and Danube rivers. Every fourth of fifth citizen of Germany is ready to donate money to those who suffered from the flood.

In the meantime, the water of the Elbe river has reached the point of 9.40 meters. Fourteen people have already died due to the flood. Specialists say that water might inundate the building of the Saxony state government. People are still fleeing Dresden. The historic center of the city has been flooded. No one is struggling with water on the territory of the famed Zwinger Palace museum anymore. The museum has been inundated with murky floodwater as well, although officials did their best to save precious paintings.

Dresden looks like a city of war now. The BBC reports that helicopters fly around the city all the time and columns of rescuers move with the howls of sirens. However, the highest point of the flood has past.

Sergey Yugov PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Dmitry Sudakov