All-clear for Aurich: Storm surge danger ends after nighttime flooding!

All-clear for Aurich: Storm surge danger ends after nighttime flooding!

The coastal regions of northern Germany are repeatedly threatened by natural forces. On October 6, 2025, the alarming forecast for the East Frisian coast was not without a positive twist, as an all-clear was given in the Aurich district today. The population was previously informed in good time via the warning app BIWAPP, which warned of an impending storm surge. This storm surge could have caused a flood that should be around 1.5 meters above the mean flood. The warning was in effect until around 1:20 a.m. Citizens were urged to avoid the affected area and stay informed.

The BIWAPP app, which plays an important role in warning and informing the population, can be downloaded free of charge on smartphones. It enables authorities to issue warnings as quickly as possible and provides up-to-date information on disasters such as floods and fires. Users can also individually select which topics they would like to be notified about, be it school cancellations, traffic accidents or other dangers. This central source of information is essential, especially as dangerous weather conditions increase.

Climate change brings additional risks

Concerns about the coastal regions are growing because storm surges are not uncommon in northern Germany between October and April. The last few years show that extreme weather events have increased. In October 2023, the Baltic Sea coast experienced one of the worst storm surges in 150 years, which led to devastating damage: several dikes broke, houses were flooded, and material losses ran into the hundreds of millions. Although statistics do not show a significant increase in storm surges, climate change is leaving experts alarmed as sea level rise increases the likelihood of such natural events.

The IPCC has warned in its forecasts that, in a worst-case scenario, sea levels could rise by up to 1.8 meters by 2100. A circumstance that not only calls into question the construction of existing dikes, but also requires alternative coastal protection measures such as maintaining dunes or creating floodplains. The dikes on the Baltic Sea coast are often not even completely diked, which makes the region particularly vulnerable.

Measures for the future

Faced with the impending danger, the need for action is clear. Cities like those in the Aurich district are faced with the challenge of evaluating their protective measures and adapting them if necessary. The past experiences and the exchange of knowledge about successful measures in countries like the Netherlands, which invested in coastal protection after the devastating flood disaster of 1953, are invaluable.

The all-clear in the Aurich district is a good sign, but our eyes remain on the horizon. Constant vigilance and willingness to adapt to future challenges are the new guideposts in the climate debate on our shores. In the event of future storm surges, every minute and every piece of information counts in order to protect people and nature as best as possible.

For the latest developments and further information, it is worth taking a look at the official pages, such as those of the Citizen Information and Warning App or the reporting at news.de.

If you would like to find out more about the background to storm surges and the effects of climate change, you can find further information on the [Deutschlandfunk] website (https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/sturmflut-ostsee-nordsee-100.html).