Germany's Dresden braces as river waters rise

DRESDEN, Germany, Apr 1 (Reuters) Rising waters in the main river through the German city of Dresden forced a first batch of evacuations yesterday while authorities said at least 1,000 more people might have to be evacuated over the weekend.

Around 100 residents of the Maillebahn retirement home in Dresden were moved out as melted snow and rain swelled the Elbe River's levels and caused flooding in parts of the city.

With river levels more than three times their normal levels at seven metres, 1,000 people living in low-lying areas close to the Elbe would probably have to leave their homes over the weekend, a city spokesman said.

''It looks inevitable,'' said the spokesman for the east German city of roughly 490,000 people.

Flooding experts say the historic city centre of Dresden will be safe as long as water levels stay below nine metres.

In the nearby town of Rathen, residents piled sand bags high to prevent water flooding into shops and homes. Some park benches were submerged and relief teams rowed in boats through the streets.

In August 2002, water levels in the Elbe reached 9.4 metres, causing widespread flooding and triggering what then Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder described as the biggest German emergency operation since World War Two.

REUTERS CS RK0900