Workers raced against time on Friday to remove part of a partially collapsed bridge in the eastern German city of Dresden as rising river levels approach expected flooding.

Another section of the partially collapsed Carolabrücke bridge in Dresden collapsed on Friday morning during controlled demolition work.

Engineers began demolishing the damaged section on Thursday evening to prevent further danger and prepare for upcoming bad weather.

The last part of the bridge to be destroyed was the tram tracks.

“We’re running out of time. We’re really racing against time,” fire department spokesman Michael Klahre said at a news conference Friday.

Demolition work should be completed by Sunday evening, officials said.

This date is crucial because then the water level in the Elbe will reach four metres, explained Simone Prüfer, head of the Roads and Civil Engineering Department.

According to Prüfer, experts are currently calculating the effects of the expected floods.

The section of the bridge where cars drive remained intact.

The German military is also taking part in the clean-up effort. Two specialist armoured rescue vehicles have arrived, a dpa reporter at the scene confirmed on Friday evening.

Work is expected to continue through the night, Klahre said. A specialist company is working around the clock.

On Wednesday morning, around 100 metres of the Carolabrücke bridge suddenly collapsed into the Elbe. If the accident had happened at a later time of day, it could have been a tragedy, as the bridge lies on an important tram, cycle and pedestrian route.

Flooding expected this weekend will significantly increase the risk of further collapse of the damaged structure.

Flooding is expected on the Elbe River on Sunday due to heavy rainfall forecast in the neighbouring Czech Republic.

The German state of Saxony, where Dresden is located, is also bracing for continued rain in its eastern regions, with flood warnings issued for nearby rivers such as the Spree and Lusatian Neisse.

The bridge is about 400 meters long in total and consists of three sections. The collapse occurred after recent repairs to two sections of the bridge.