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The Ministry of the Environment: there are more than 20 areas at flood risk in Estonia

A preliminary assessment on the risks associated with flood risk was completed by the Ministry of the Environment, providing an overview of past floods and establishing the areas at significant risk.

The assessment highlights 20 risk areas, including Tallinn, Tartu and Pärnu and several smaller areas, such as the rural municipalities of Häädemeeste, Hanila and Haaslava. Half of these areas are at risk due to rising coastal sea levels; another cause for floods is rainfall and snowmelt.
 
Keit Pentus, the Minister of the Environment, stressed that every year floods cause considerable damage for the people and the economy of Estonia. “The damages of the January storm of 2005 were in the amount of more than 47 million euros, a large share of which were problems caused by floods. The Emajõgi River bursting its banks is a source of concern to the residents of Tartu every year. Risk assessment is the first step for reducing the damage caused by floods in the future. This year we will start comprehensive mapping of risk areas and the risk management plans - specific plans on how to prevent or at least mitigate damages caused by floods - have to be in place by 2015. If we could prevent even a tenth of the damages of storms similar to the January storm, it would result in savings of 5 million euros,” said the Minister for the Environment.
 

A preliminary assessment of risks associated with floods is available to the public on the website of the Ministry of the Environment at www.envir.ee/ujutus/hinnang.
 

Maps of the areas at significant risk listed in the assessment are visible in the map server of the Estonian Land Board’s geoserver, which is also accessible through www.envir.ee/ujutus/hinnang.