The Danish Meteorological Institute (Danmarks Meteorologiske Institut) had predicted up to 80 millimeters of rain over the weekend, but the extensive forecast did not lead to major efforts from the country’s emergency services. According to Jarl Vagn Hansen, chairman of the Danish Emergency Preparedness Organization (Danske Beredskaber), the rainfall has been less severe than anticipated, and therefore there has been no need for emergency response.
“The actual rainfall has not been as intense as the forecasts said, and that has meant that it has not led to any incidents for the emergency services. So that is positive,” states Jarl Vagn Hansen. Emergency services in Denmark have become accustomed to frequent alerts about extreme weather, creating a need for constant preparedness.
“The forecasts become more extreme every year, whether it’s drought, water, or wind. It puts a strain on the emergency services when the climate shows its teeth, because we need to have a plan and be ready – even if we are not out. But we are just happy that it did not turn out as severe as initially predicted,” he adds.
A positive effect of the heavy rainfall in July is that the risk of wildfires in nature has been significantly reduced. “We have had some summers where we have had to impose a ban on burning, because it has been extremely dry. But the risk of wildfires in nature is almost non-existent at the moment. So that is really good,” notes Jarl Vagn Hansen.
The Danish Meteorological Institute downgraded the forecast on Saturday morning from the original 80 millimeters to between 25 and 35 millimeters of rain. Banedanmark (The Danish rail network) was prepared and had a team monitoring water levels and rainfall throughout the night, ready to act if necessary, with a particular focus on dam breaches that could affect the railways’ foundation.
“It has been a fairly calm night,” tells Anders Muus, section chief of drainage, geotechnics, and climate at Banedanmark. Although extra personnel were called in for monitoring, Anders Muus finds this necessary: “We have taken this warning seriously, and that is why we have called people in over the weekend and from their holidays. That’s just how it is.”
Although warnings of severe weather can be demanding for emergency services, it is important to take them seriously to ensure preparedness against potential dangers.