Heavy rain, floods, floods – the storm still has a firm grip on southern Germany. The situation is particularly critical in parts of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Thousands of people had to leave their homes. Tens of thousands of helpers are present. The second fatality from the flood has now been confirmed.
As the newspaper ‘Bild’ reported on Monday morning, rescuers in Schrobenhausen, Upper Bavaria, searched for hours for a missing woman (43).
Photos of the floods in Germany:
Divers were deployed
Because divers could not enter the flooded basement of the house the day before, pumps were deployed in the building, a police spokesperson said. The hope was to find the 43-year-old, who was last seen in the basement of her home. Unfortunately, only her body could be recovered on Monday morning.
Firefighter died during rescue operation
A 42-year-old firefighter died in Upper Bavaria this weekend. The spokesman for the district office in Pfaffenhofen said he capsized in the rubber boat during an operation with three colleagues and was found dead on Sunday morning.
Another firefighter missing
Another firefighter is currently still missing in Offingen, Swabia. According to a police spokesperson, emergency services have not yet found the 22-year-old. The search will continue. The man was sailing on a water rescue boat in the municipality of the Günzburg district on Sunday evening. The boat, manned by five emergency services, capsized around 2:50 a.m. due to strong currents. Four emergency services were able to escape to the coast on their own and were unharmed.
Video: The German Vice Chancellor and the Bavarian Prime Minister in the flood zone:
Dam broken
After days of persistent rain, rivers overflowed their banks in many areas of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. The dam on the Paar River in the Upper Bavarian district of Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm has now broken in three places. A spokeswoman for the Kingdom Council said this on Monday morning. The Paar is a tributary of the Danube.
The Danube enters a critical area
Houses were evacuated on Monday, especially in the region near Stuttgart. In Bavaria, the flood intelligence service has not yet made everything clear: although the flooding is slowly decreasing in many places on the tributaries of the Danube, the floods are now increasingly affecting the Danube itself.
According to the current situation report, the highest reporting level four was reached from Regensburg to Straubing, and in Passau this should be on Monday evening. In Kehlheim, the river is expected to rise to 20-year flood levels during the day. This weekend, several districts and cities in Bavaria had already declared a disaster. Meanwhile, Regensburg on the Danube was also declared a disaster.
Some schoolchildren are allowed to stay at home for the time being. Many schools in the affected regions canceled in-person classes on Monday, and kindergartens and support centers are also expected to continue operating. Emergency care is sometimes organized for younger schoolchildren.
The weather service is strengthening warnings
The German Weather Service (DWD) has tightened its warnings again. In the south, the alarm is again in effect in seven districts. There is heavy, persistent rain with varying intensity. There is an advance warning in southeastern Bavaria: powerful thunderstorms with extreme storm potential will develop in some areas from Monday afternoon. “The focus here is on heavy rainfall. Within a short time, 30 to 60 l/m² can fall,” says the DWD.
Train traffic is severely affected
Due to the storm damage, rail traffic in southern Germany remained severely affected on Monday. Deutsche Bahn announced that evening: “We advise against traveling to the affected flood areas in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg and recommend postponing non-essential travel. Please also note that the trains that are still running will be very busy.” Long-distance trains cannot currently reach Munich from the north and west. Local transport in Bavaria also remains severely affected.
Rhine partially closed to shipping
Germany’s most important waterway, the Rhine, was also partially closed to shipping. “Shipping on the Upper Rhine has come to a standstill,” a spokesperson for the Waterways and Shipping Authority (WSA) said on Monday. “Critical water levels have been exceeded here.” The affected regions include Maxau near Karlsruhe, Mannheim and Worms. According to the WSA, there will likely be closures on the Middle Rhine, roughly the area between Mainz and Bonn, on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
