An der Carolabrücke in Dresden werden die noch stehenden Reste des teilweise eingestürzten Stranges noch vor dem drohenden Elbe-Hochwasser schnell entfernt. „Die Arbeiten beginnen heute Abend“, sagte die Leiterin des Straßen- und Tiefbauamtes, Simone Prüfer, am Donnerstag in der Stadtratssitzung. Wie ein Feuerwehrsprecher zuvor mitgeteilt hatte, ergaben Messungen des Technischen Hilfswerks (THW), dass das Brückenteil „akut einsturzgefährdet“ sei.
Beginnend auf der Neustädter Seite wird versucht, den durchhängenden Teil und den sich zum Ufer hin anschließenden Kragarm „mit gebündelten Kräften“ von Bundeswehr, THW und entsprechender Technik herunterzuholen, zu zertrümmern und abzutransportieren. Straßenbahnschienen und Fernwärmeleitung müssten mit „einer kleinen Sprengung in den Abendstunden“ getrennt werden. „Wir wollen mit den Teilen, die noch in der Schwebe sind, vor dem Hochwasser fertig sein.“
Nach Einschätzung der Feuerwehr ist die Brücke insgesamt im Bestand gefährdet. Das betrifft das gesamte Bauwerk, eine konkrete Einschätzung ist derzeit aber „ganz schwer“, sagte Feuerwehrsprecher Michael Klahre. Die rund 400 Meter lange Brücke besteht aus insgesamt drei Brückenzügen, die durch sogenannte Querriegel miteinander verbunden sind. In der Nacht zum Mittwoch ist ein etwa 100 Meter langes Stück des Brückenzuges C eingestürzt. Aber auch an den Verbindungsstücken hatte es laut Feuerwehr Schäden gegeben.
Verletzt wurde bei dem Einsturz niemand. Die Ursache wird noch untersucht, die Polizei geht nicht von einer Fremdeinwirkung aus.
Brücke mit Unterbau gestützt
Der Oberbürgermeister berief auch angesichts des für das kommende Wochenende drohenden Elbe-Hochwassers den Stab für außergewöhnliche Ereignisse ein, in dem die beteiligten Verantwortlichen täglich zusammenkommen. Das Gremium machte das Einsatzgebiet und die Carolabrücke zur Drohnenflugverbotszone, nachdem dort in der vergangenen Nacht solche Flugobjekte unbekannter Herkunft gesichtet wurden. Welche Auswirkungen das auf die im Fluss liegenden Trümmerteile und die Brücke insgesamt hat, kann momentan noch nicht gesagt werden. Die Lage sei noch „sehr diffus“.
“It is ultimately a question of time whether this bridge collapses further,” said Klahre, describing the situation. In preparation for this, a substructure was built on the New Town side last night to stabilize the bridge. The same should be done on the Old Town side by the afternoon. Cars and buses that are still under the bridge can then be safely removed. “This is important in view of the expected flooding, because this is a flood zone.”
Since all the bridge’s sections are connected, “a force transfer took place,” which also had an impact on the bridge sections that were still standing. As the head of the road and civil engineering department, Simone Prüfer, announced at a city council meeting, the middle section of the bridge was also damaged. “Bridge section B was damaged by the force of the collapse and the displacement of the superstructure.” There are subsidences that are currently being recorded and measured. The railings have moved away “in the 20-centimeter range.” Nothing can be said about section A at the moment. Sections A and B were recently renovated.
With the remains of part C, “something will definitely happen, it will continue to move, minimally, but it will continue to move,” said Michael Klahre. “Either we intervene, or it will collapse at some point.” It is unlikely that the debris lying in the middle of the river will be recovered before the flood.
Collapse already at 2.59 am
The prestressed concrete bridge did not collapse at 3:08 a.m., as initially stated, but at 2:59 a.m. This was stated by a spokesman for the Upper Elbe Transport Association, referring to a webcam recording. The time span between the last tram passing over the bridge and the collapse was not 18 minutes, but only around ten minutes.
A so-called tachymeter has also been installed on the bridge, the city added in a statement. The device can measure changes in the tenth of a millimeter range using laser technology. Several reference points have been installed around the bridge. If there are any changes, a warning will be issued. The first measurement results should be available during the course of Thursday.
Weather conditions could change situation
Following the collapse, anxious eyes are now turning to the weather forecast for Saxony. Heavy rainfall in the Czech Republic will lead to flooding in the Elbe from Sunday. Following the partial collapse of the Carola Bridge in Dresden, this poses an additional risk to the badly damaged structure. Because heavy rain is also expected in Poland, flooding is also expected on the Neisse and Spree.
According to the State Flood Center, 200 liters of precipitation per square meter will fall within 72 hours in the Czech Republic and southern Poland, including the Jizera and Giant Mountains, by Monday. Up to 350 liters are possible in the upper mountain areas. Continuous rain is also expected in eastern Poland.
The Czech Republic had already announced that it did not want to reduce the flow of the Elbe. “I can confirm that we were contacted by the Saxon side via the International Commission for the Protection of the Elbe with a request to see if we could temporarily reduce the flow of the Elbe,” said Agriculture Minister Marek Výborný on Wednesday. There was currently no positive answer to this because the capacity of the retention basins would have to be increased before the expected flood.
“I am sure that our Saxon colleagues also understand that a bridge that has actually collapsed cannot now have priority over the protection of the property and lives not only of Czech but also of German citizens,” said Výborný.
The further development of the situation is being closely monitored, said the Saxon State Environmental Agency. The State Flood Center will issue flood warnings for the Lusatian Neisse, the Spree and the Elbe on Thursday afternoon.
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