09:37 Police amend report: Ongoing quest for lost firefighter; not concluded.
After the disappearance of a firefighter in the flood in Swabia, the search is ongoing. The police have revised their statement on the matter (see update at 6:22 am). It is believed that the 22-year-old perished, mentioned a police spokesperson earlier. The young man had been on a rescue boat of the DLRG water rescue in Offingen, near the border with Baden-Württemberg, during the night from Sunday to Monday. The boat with five rescue teams was overturned by strong currents. Four rescue teams aged between 24 and 70 managed to save themselves and remained unharmed.
9:05 Bavarian Fire Brigade Association: Flood Relief IncomparableThe fire departments in Bavaria are required by the Bavarian Fire Brigade Association to an extent never witnessed before due to the floods. "Never before has it been this way and on this scale," says association head Johann Eitzenberger to the Süddeutsche Zeitung. "We have 30,000 volunteer firefighters working round the clock to prevent and minimize damage as much as possible." Thousands of helpers from various organizations have been fighting against a catastrophic flood in Bavaria since the weekend. The situation is currently manageable, cautions Eitzenberger. "More specialized skills will still be needed in the future, for example for handling oil from heating systems." The rescue teams are approaching their limits. "We have a brilliant team rotation system that spans across all of Bavaria's 7,500 fire departments and over 300,000 volunteer firefighters, which might be more noticeable over the next few days than on the weekends," says Eitzenberger.
8:45 "Don't watch, what is happening": Regensburg Mayor Warns Against Flood TourismThe mayor of the current flood-affected city of Regensburg, Gertrud Maltz-Schwarzfischer, warns against flood tourism. "We already have a lot of tourists, but now locals are also moving around. Please don't go and watch, what is happening," says Maltz-Schwarzfischer on Bayerischer Rundfunk. Above all, visitors are advised against going onto the jetties, as rescue workers may be operating there. In the fourth largest city in Bavaria on the Danube, the situation was tense overnight, reports the mayor. High groundwater levels and an unstable subsoil endanger evacuations, according to the mayor. The flood peak had been reached during the night, she hopes that water levels will decrease during the day. Predicting whether the dikes and protective structures will hold is challenging, explains the mayor. "We are dealing with a different situation than, for instance, in 2013, since we have very high groundwater levels and the subsoil becomes incredibly unstable. And the pressure on the dikes, given a fluctuating subsoil, is already critical."
8:25 Passau Concerned - "Danube Water Level Already at 9.54 Meters"The situation in Lower Bavarian Passau is particularly critical. The city was anticipated to reach the peak with a water level of 9.50 meters in the afternoon - it is now already above this mark, reported by ntv-reporter Felix Balß.
7:48 Rotating Branch: Exceptional DeploymentThe fire departments in Bavaria are being drafted in at an unprecedented scale due to the floods, according to the Bavarian Fire Brigade Association. "This is quite unique in such a manner and on such a scale," says association head Johann Eitzenberger to the Süddeutsche Zeitung. "We have 30,000 volunteer firefighters working continuously to prevent and minimize damage wherever possible." The situation is presently under control but could change in an instant, says Eitzenberger. "There will also be a need for specialized skills for a long time, such as dealing with oil from heating systems."
7:28 Video: Danube Dams and Protective Walls Threaten to CollapseWith excessive amounts of water, the Danube is putting strain on dams and additional protective walls in southern Germany. Some of the dikes are now in danger of collapsing. Passau is already underwater, having been closed off.
6:55 Castle Ruin Slides Away - Inhabitants EvacuatedParts of the Falkenstein Castle in Upper Bavaria are collapsing as a result of the unrelenting rain. Beneath the castle, 50 inhabitants have been evacuated, according to the Rosenheim district. The Falkenstein Castle in Upper Bavaria is a famous hiking destination. The core of the castle, Falkenstein, was built around 1300. The outer castle was constructed during the 15th and 16th centuries. After a period of expansion during the 16th and 17th centuries, the complex was damaged by fires toward the end of the 18th century, eventually becoming a ruin. The extent of the damage to the ruin is unknown.
23:46: Searching for Missing Firefighter in Swabia Halted
Authorities in Swabia are no longer actively searching for a missing firefighter who went missing during the recent floods. The 22-year-old was likely drowned, according to a police spokesperson, and will likely be found once the water recedes. The young man was on his way to Offingen near the border between Baden-Württemberg, driving a DLRG lifeguard service boat with five other rescue personnel. The boat overturned due to strong currents. Fortunately, four of the rescue personnel managed to reach land safely with no injuries.
22:45: "Century-Rainfalls" in Southern Germany
Several locations in southern Germany have received rainfall levels not seen in over a century, according to preliminary data from the German Weather Service. Meteorologist Thomas Deutschländer described the rainfall as "century-rainfalls," noting that while it's a rare occurrence, it's not entirely unheard of. He cautioned that these are still preliminary data, which need to be checked to ensure their accuracy. The data might show more extreme levels as more information becomes available.
00:50: Danube in Passau Reaches 9.27 Meters Mark
The water level of the Danube in Passau has surpassed the nine-meter mark overnight. The flood warning service reports a water level of 9.27 meters at 3 am, compared to 8.83 meters on Monday evening. The peak level of 9.50 meters is expected to be reached at noon on Tuesday. The historic old town of Passau was closed to car traffic on Monday due to the flood. Flooding is expected to become more severe once the gauge reaches 8.50 meters, a level that was reached in Passau on Monday afternoon. At this level, beaches will be submerged.
23:12: 200 People Evacuated from Regensburg's Werftstrasse
Amid a worsening flood situation, around 200 people in the center of Regensburg have been ordered to evacuate their homes. The city announced the compulsory evacuation order due to the increasing groundwater level in the Werftstrasse. The disaster control has decided to evacuate the entire street, fearing that the flood protection measures might fail.
00:35: Rosenheim District Reports Relief in Flood Situation
The flood situation in the southern district of Rosenheim has slightly improved, as reported by the district. Schools and kindergartens in the affected communities are expected to remain closed on Tuesday. Evacuations have occurred in Raubling and Rohrdorf, but the number of people affected is still not known. The district previously declared a disaster situation, with over 1000 emergency services personnel from the fire department and the Technical Relief Organization on site. The German Weather Service has forecasted that the rainfall in Bavaria should subside by nightfall on Tuesday.
22:01: German Weather Service Lifts All Weather Warnings
In the midst of the floods in southern Germany, the German Weather Service has lifted all weather warnings across the country. The heavy rainfall from the past few days has caused most streams and rivers, especially in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, to rise significantly. Entire settlements have been flooded, even after dams have broken. At least four people have lost their lives due to the floods. The situation in parts of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg remains tense.
21:05: Lowering Water Levels in Southwest Germany
After the days of flooding, water levels are again falling in most watercourses in the southwest. Only at large rivers like the Danube and the Rhine, rising gauge readings are still observed. The flood forecast center reports that there are no longer any critical values expected that would be surpassed. At the Danube gauge in Hundersingen, as well as at Lake Constance and the Upper and Upper Rhine gauges, the water is still rising. The Neckar, however, is showing a downward trend.
19:01: Emergency Response in Rosenheim District
The authorities in Rosenheim District, Upper Bavaria, have asked citizens to remain indoors due to the flood threat. "There is a serious risk to life and safety," the statement reads. People should avoid going outdoors, stay away from bodies of water, and not hinder rescue operations. On Tuesday, schools will be closed in several municipalities: Brannenburg, Raubling, Rohrdorf, Oberaudorf, Nussdorf, Neubeuern, Bad Feilnbach, and Flintsbach. Kindergartens in the affected towns should also remain closed.
9:47pm Rosenheim District: Part of Burg Falkenstein collapses
In Flintsbach, a portion of Burg Falkenstein has crumbled due to excessive rain in the Rosenheim district. The Rosenheim district administration confirms this. Residents beneath the castle, numbering around 50, are being relocated.
9:08pm: Germany's largest camping site must be vacated
The Wesel camping site in North Rhine-Westphalia must be emptied within the following 24 hours as a result of the flooding. Grav-Island's operators have made this announcement. The main cause of this decision is the soaring water levels in nearby rivers and lakes. Grav-Island is the biggest camping facility in Germany, housing 5,000 permanent campsites.
8:53pm: Regensburg's Werftstraße needs to be cleared
Regensburg's Werftstraße will be cleared as the city of Regensburg states. The street borders the Danube, with the soil of the roadway growing weaker due to the rising groundwater levels. The flood protection mechanisms in place could malfunction, leading to flooding of the street. Approximately 200 people will be transferred to safety from 9:00pm.
Additional background details can be found here.
Read also:
The live ticker continues to update on the ongoing search for the missing firefighter in the Swabia flood, despite the police revising their statement that he is presumed dead.
The fire departments in Bavaria are working tirelessly around the clock to minimize damage from the floods, with over 30,000 volunteer firefighters deployed.
International rescue teams, alongside the police, are searching for any messages or signs that could give hope in the search for the lost firefighter.
