Not only when your feet are wet ...

We close the first one, the so-called 'flood gate'. This prevents the rising water of the Rhine from flooding the sewer system.

The so-called flood mark I has been reached. This primarily affects shipping. Captains are requested to sail as far away from the shore as possible, towards the middle of the river, and to avoid waves as much as possible. The maximum speed must not exceed 20 kilometers per hour.

The first areas along the banks of the Rhine are being cordoned off and the parking spaces there cleared for safety reasons.

We are setting up an emergency service that will be available around the clock. In addition, the fire department and selected municipal authorities will be brought on board.

We are talking about flood level II and the fact that all shipping will be suspended.

At the winter harbor, the mobile flood barrier is being erected and the gates of the historic city wall are being closed. The mobile barrier is also being erected in the customs and inland port area. In addition, the normal manhole covers there are being replaced with watertight ones.

The situation is becoming dangerous. That is why disaster control is taking over from here.

From here on, we are talking about what is known as a 200-year flood. In other words, a flood that is so extraordinary and rare that, statistically speaking, it only occurs once every 200 years. The protective measures are designed to cope with this level – plus a so-called freeboard height of a further 50 centimeters. This is because a river is constantly in motion and a smooth water surface is rather the exception. Keyword: waves.

This mark is called "extreme flood" and means that the floods can no longer be stopped. Fortunately, we were and are far removed from this horror scenario. By way of comparison: during the so-called flood of the century in 1882, when large parts of Mainz city center were flooded, the water level measured only 7.95 meters.

You can find out the current water level for Mainz on the website of the Rhineland-Palatinate flood warning service. Just CLICK (opens in a new tab).