Bad Homburg warns: Heavy rain alarm – How to protect your home!

Bad Homburg warns: Heavy rain alarm – How to protect your home!

In Bad Homburg v. d. Height is currently being intensively informed about the dangers of heavy rain and flooding. Especially after the shocking flood events in the Ahr Valley, which many still remember, the city is making efforts to raise citizens' awareness of preventive measures. As the city administration reports, stressful situations arose in May 2022, for example, when the Heuchelbach and Kirdorfer Bach overflowed their banks. But there are challenges not only in the riparian areas; There has also been surface water runoff in the old town because the existing canal system is not capable of draining away large amounts of precipitation.

Mayor Dr. Oliver Jedynak emphasizes the need for each individual to take precautions. The city of Bad Homburg has therefore compiled comprehensive information that not only shows the risks, but also recommends suitable measures to avoid damage. These include, among other things, the use of sandbags, aluminum barriers and pumps to quickly clear basement rooms. Backflow preventers and wall seals can also be crucial in minimizing water damage.

Precautionary measures and information offerings

In order to enable citizens to make an informed decision about their own risk assessment, the city has made heavy rain hazard maps available online. These maps, which depict different rainfall scenarios and flood levels, are part of a broader strategy to address the challenges of climate change. The heavy rain advisory map for Hesse also covers the risk situation in other municipalities. According to information from the Hessian State Office, such maps are important in order to better assess the situation on site and are available at a rough resolution of 1 km². Observations regarding precipitation as well as topography and the degree of sealing are included in the assessments.

In order to improve the advance warning time, the use of warning apps is recommended. Adjusting the use of basement rooms is also a “soft” approach to the problem. Finally, it is also advisable to take out natural hazard insurance to protect yourself against possible flood damage.

Long-term strategies and measures

Bad Homburg not only plans individual precautionary measures, but also comprehensive technical and natural flood protection measures. The city administration outlines four main areas of its activities: information provision, natural flood protection through renaturation, technical flood protection with the planning of new retention basins and specific measures for property protection and building precautions.

As part of the national strategy for climate adaptation, which was presented by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection on December 11, 2024, measures to combat heat, drought, heavy rain and floods are to be further strengthened. This strategy, which includes 33 measurable targets and is updated every four years, provides a comprehensive framework to support communities and other stakeholders in adapting to climate challenges.

Citizens are called upon to actively participate and use the information provided. Only together, with a good knack for precaution and the right awareness, can we better meet the challenges of heavy rain and flooding.

Further information on the risk of heavy rain and the corresponding measures can be found on the city of Bad Homburg's website at Bad Homburg and on the heavy rain advisory map on the website of HLNUG and on the German adaptation strategy at the Center for Climate Adaptation.