Major alert in southern Germany: Severe flooding may occur in many communities along rivers affected by persistent rain. About 1,300 people were advised to leave their homes (see video above). The focus is on the Lake Constance area in the extensive border area with Vorarlberg.
According to experts, a whole month’s worth of rain will fall in the next 48 hours, mainly from Lake Constance through Bavaria to the edges of Thuringia and Saxony, up to 150 liters per square meter. On Friday evening, some communities asked their residents to avoid basements or sleep elsewhere for a few days. Alternatively, there are shelters.
Tense situation
It is not an evacuation, but a recommendation, said a spokeswoman for the municipality of Baden-Württemberg in Upper Swabia. According to the announcement, extreme flooding was expected to occur, especially on the Schussen River. “We still hope that the weather situation will ease somewhat and that flood levels will be less dramatic than predicted,” said Mayor Georg Schellinger.
Alarm at the border with Austria
Not far in Weingarten near Ravensburg, just over 40 kilometers from the border with Austria (Vorarlberg), residents of large parts of the city should avoid the cellar and under no circumstances sleep in the cellar. They were also advised to ideally stay overnight with family and friends outside areas at risk from rising water levels.
“Unfortunately, it is currently unclear how quickly levels will rise over time. Therefore, special caution is required,” the emergency services website said. According to the Ravensburg District, it could not be ruled out that individual cities or communities might make evacuation decisions.
Streets and underpasses were flooded
In Lindau on Lake Constance, right on the border with Vorarlberg, the first streets and underpasses were flooded on Friday evening and city bus traffic had to be halted. The fire brigade and the technical assistance organization are constantly involved, a city spokeswoman said. Residents had to be evacuated from an apartment complex because there was a risk of short circuit due to ingress of water.
A district in Bavaria declared a disaster on Friday evening – also as a preventive measure. In the Günzburg region, the aim is to better support the potentially affected cities and communities, the district office said. This requires emergency services from the entire district. Camping and recreation areas on the rivers Günz, Kammel and Mindel must be evacuated – many guests of the Legoland theme park are likely to stay here during the Pentecost holidays.
There is a potential danger to life
Further west on the Danube, for example in Neu-Ulm, and on its tributaries, floods are expected in some places, which statistically only occur every 50 to 100 years and are relatively severe. For example, in the Biberach district, people in affected areas were asked to pay attention to their safety. There is a potential danger to life there. You must prepare emergency luggage.
Fear also in East Germany
Rainfall has also caused river levels to rise in other regions – and further rises are expected. According to the Regional State Office for Nature Conservation, Environment and Geology, flooding in the Rhine and Neckar in Hesse is statistically only possible every 20 years. According to the German Weather Service (DWD), people in East Germany should prepare for a lot of rain and sometimes even thunder.
Source: Krone
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