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Emergency responders are drawing water from reserve tanks in Rostock.

Workers in Rostock are emptying out a rain storage facility.

Emergency crews are filling up drainage tanks with water in Rostock.
Emergency crews are filling up drainage tanks with water in Rostock.

Emergency services in Rostock empty out a rainwater holding tank - Emergency responders are drawing water from reserve tanks in Rostock.

In the city of Rostock, Germany, a rain retention basin in the Hinrichsdorf district temporarily overflowed due to heavy rainfall on Thursday evening. The overflow posed a potential risk to the adjacent residential area, prompting immediate action from local emergency services.

The cause of the overflow can be attributed to several factors common in urban areas. The increasing impermeable surfaces such as concrete and asphalt reduce natural infiltration of rainwater into the soil, resulting in higher runoff volumes that enter stormwater systems and retention basins quickly. Moreover, poor or outdated drainage infrastructure, blocked or damaged drainage pipes and basins, and urban expansion without coordinated drainage system upgrades are also contributing factors.

To mitigate such incidents in the future, preventive measures are being considered. These include increasing permeable surfaces, implementing green infrastructure, upgrading and maintaining drainage systems, expanding and optimizing retention basins, adopting integrated urban water management plans, and using engineered solutions.

The firefighters in Rostock worked tirelessly to pump out the overflowed basin, securing the area and preventing any potential flooding. According to a firefighter spokesperson, the basin posed a risk to the surrounding residential area if it were to overflow. As of Friday morning, the water level in the basin was only a few centimeters, according to the Ministry of the Interior.

The emergency services, including the firefighters, are working diligently to manage the situation. In total, the Rostock fire department had to handle eleven incidents in quick succession on Thursday evening. The operations to manage the overflowed rain retention basin are continuing into Friday.

This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of addressing the causes of rain retention basin overflow in urban areas and implementing preventive measures to ensure the safety and resilience of our cities against heavy precipitation events. Rostock, like many northern European cities, can draw inspiration from models such as Copenhagen, which has made significant strides in flood control through the implementation of green infrastructure and integrated urban water management.

The Commission's work on the draft directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation could potentially be extended to include studies on the impact of climate-change on weather patterns and their potential influence on flooding incidents in urban areas, such as the one experienced in Rostock. Moreover, the expertise of environmental-science researchers could be invaluable in assessing the effectiveness of different preventive measures, like increasing permeable surfaces and implementing green infrastructure, in mitigating the risks posed by overflown rain retention basins.

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