Severe floods hit Southern Germany, resulting in a firefighter's death while on duty.
Torrential rains lately have resulted in a substantial increase in the water levels of many streams and rivers, mainly in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Entire settlements were submerged, despite the bursting of dams. In several areas, residents were told to abandon their houses, and they were transported to safety using excavators, boats, and helicopters. The Bavarian Interior Ministry noted on a Sunday that 3,000 people had been affected by evacuations.
The situation was particularly critical in the Bavarian district of Pfaffenhofen. A 42-year-old volunteer fireman lost his life during a rescue operation on Sunday night when a rescue boat flipped over near a waterlogged house.
Bavarian Premier Markus Söder (CSU) and Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) visited Reichertshofen in the Pfaffenhofen district to evaluate the circumstances. Söder commemorated the fireman who "died while serving us all." Habeck thanked the emergency workers who are currently "risking their lives." Chancellor Olaf Scholz tweeted, "We are profoundly thankful to the rescuers and helpers who are fighting against the effects of the floods at numerous locations."
Another incident happened during an evacuation effort in the Bavarian town of Günzburg, where a boat with five emergency personnel from the German Life Saving Society and the fire department flipped over because of powerful currents. Four occupants managed to save themselves and remained unharmed. A 22-year-old volunteer fireman was missing, prompting a comprehensive search and rescue mission. A 43-year-old woman was also reported missing within a flooded basement of a multi-family residence in the Bavarian town of Schrobenhausen.
The floodwaters had a significant impact on transportation: Virtually everywhere in the nation, there were car accidents caused by heavy downpours. The A9 motorway near Ingolstadt was closed. In the Baden-Württemberg town of Schwäbisch Gmünd, an ICE train derailed due to a landslide between Sunday and Monday. The first two cars left the tracks and pulled a parked car on an adjacent road with them, a spokesperson for the Federal Police confirmed. All 185 passengers, the train staff, and the car driver were unscathed. The tracks remained closed.
More than 40,000 individuals from fire departments, police, Red Cross, Technical Relief, and the Bundeswehr have been dispatched since the beginning of the flooding catastrophe. The Federal Defense Ministry stated that approximately 800 soldiers were assisting with sandbags, blankets, and vehicles. "The Bundeswehr is relied upon when it matters," commented Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD).
Economy Minister Habeck urged more endeavors in climate protection once the flood crisis has been mitigated. The frequency of natural disasters is "a clear sign that nature and climate are transforming." Century floods occur "every few years," Habeck said. Söder asked for economic solidarity from the federal government for the flood-stricken regions.
For Monday, the German Weather Service forecasts more rain showers in South and East Germany. On Sunday, warning level two was enforced in parts of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Saxony, Thuringia, and Brandenburg. Additionally, escalating water levels are predicted along the Rhine, where shipping was halted on Saturday evening at Karlsruhe.
