Lake Biel authorities activate emergency plan due to flooding
Published: Wednesday, Dec 13th 2023, 08:00
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Lake Biel burst its banks in several places early this morning. The authorities activated their emergency plans and ordered the closure of several lakeside paths. They also set up a hotline and made sandbags available.
The Regional Command Organ (RFO) Biel/Bienne Regio is operating a hotline for the population from 8 a.m., as the RFO announced. Sandbags can also be obtained from the fire stations in Nidau and Ligerz. They are intended for residents whose homes are threatened by water.
According to the Regulatory Service of the Canton of Bern, the level of Lake Biel will continue to rise. However, the situation is currently not comparable to the flood events of previous years, according to the RFO.
4 centimeters above the high water mark
At 7 a.m., Lake Biel reached a water level of 430.39 meters above sea level. That is 4 centimetres above the high water mark. The Aare is also carrying a lot of water, as the heavy rainfall has been compounded by meltwater. According to the natural hazard portal, Lake Thun also approached the high water mark during the night.
©Keystone/SDA
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