On natural disasters in Germany

The anniversary of Hamburg's disastrous flood raises questions about how good German disaster prevention is today.

Dear Reader,

This week marked the 60th anniversary of the devastating flood that hit Hamburg in 1962, leaving 315 people dead.

In the midst of the night on February 16th, hurricane force winds blew masses of water up the Elbe river. The dykes that had been built around the city weren’t up to the task of holding the water back: either they were built too steeply and collapsed under the pressure, or they were too short and water surged over the top.

In 60 different locations the dykes were breached.

The residents of the city were caught unawares. Attempts to warn them by radio fell on sleeping ears.

By the next morning a sixth of the city stood under water. Low-lying districts south of the river were particularly badly hit. People who had lost their homes during the bombing of WWII and refugees from the east were often the victims. They were still living in poorly built huts.

Beyond the deaths, thousands more were left homeless.

With northern Germany being battered by storms this week, questi…