Thousands more are being evacuated

Germany Says Floods Coming Under Control

Thousands of soldiers and civilian helpers have been working round-the-clock to repair cracks in the system of dykes to the north of Frankfurt-an-der-Oder. But the authorities say it's still too early to give the all-clear, and more people have been evacuated from the area.

The situation to the south of Frankfurt, where dykes have already collapsed, has worsened. Many houses are now almost completely submerged, and the floodwaters are being contaminated by thousands of litres of heating oil escaping from ruptured tanks.

Troops are working flat out to plug the defences

Although the extensive system of dykes is managing to hold back the flood water in most areas, officials say they don't know how long the defences will remain in place.

The level of the river Oder is being monitored hour by hour. Officials believe that if it rises much more, the sixty-year-old dykes may not be able to hold back the sheer volume of water.

For now, though, the extensive system of man-made defences remains in place. There are cracks developing in some of the dykes North of the city of Frankfurt-an-der-Oder, but troops are working to plug the holes with sandbags.

Eight thousand people living in villages nearby are being moved out. Many are ignoring the evacuation, preferring to stay, in the vain hope of protecting their homes.

The only way out now is by boat

South of Frankfurt-an-der-Oder, several villages have been overwhelmed already. The only way out now is by boat.

Dozens of military helicopters are being deployed to ferry supples to the affected area. But after days of toil, the soldiers and emergency workers are exhausted. They know their battle isn't over yet; the river level may not peak until the middle of next week.

It is the third week of the worst flooding in central Europe in two centuries, brought on by heavy rains; about a hundred people in Poland and the Czech republic have already lost their lives.