[Video transcript]
Here in Oldenburg, Lower Saxony, the incessant rain has caused water levels in the rivers and canals to rise dramatically.
The soil is sodden and can't absorb any more water.
Entire streets are in danger of being flooded.
As many as 800 residents will have to leave their homes if the emergency services cannot get the water levels under control.
(Gerald Rösing, aid group head)
"At the moment, there are no plans to evacuate the area. But the population has already been warned."
Volunteers try to contain the water by building dikes. It’s a race against time.
The longer the flood water pushes up against the sodden dikes, the greater the risk that they will break.
What's more, Lower Saxony has nearly run out of sandbags and other German states have to help out.
Securing kilometers of dikes with sandbags takes time. So, workers are resorting to a different method.
(Frank Hinrichs, City of Oldenburg)
"Here, aid workers are building a mobile dike system. The red panels are put together to form barrels and then filled with water, which gives the necessary stability."
Ultimately, it could mean a mobile dike up to 2 kilometers long. A kind of "dike to go" made of plastic panels, intended to contain the large volume of water.
When it comes to the possibility of evacuations, local residents remain cautiously optimistic.
(Ingo Roden, local resident)
"Of course this is a serious situation. Nevertheless, with all the effort that has been made here in the last few days, we must not forget that these are preventative measures. Our house is now protected against the threat of a dike breach, which could happen, of course."
(Bryan Liebl, local resident)
"Ultimately, the water level keeps on rising and rising. That is worrying."
The aid workers are coordinated by the Situation Center in Oldenburg.
Emergency services are working together with members of Germany's Armed Forces and aid organizations.
In an emergency, they can mobilize up to 900 helpers.
(Oldenburg's mayor Jürgen Krogmann)
"The situation is still tense because we don't know how much more rain will come in the next few days. But overall, we have the situation well under control."
Meteorologists say that as much as 60 millimeters of rain per square meter could fall in the coming days.
Which means that it's still too early to give the all-clear yet.