13:00 GDV: Severe flooding in southern Germany indicates a significant financial impact for insurance firms.
German insurers are set to experience considerable damage due to the recent floods in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Jörg Asmussen, the managing director of the German Insurance Association (GDV), stated that the images from these regions show plenty of destruction, and their companies are being flooded with damage reports. Although it is too early for an accurate assessment, Asmussen predicts costs will be comparable to the Saarland flood on Whit Sunday, which amounted to approximately 200 million euros. The expenses of such destruction depend on how many properties are insured against natural disasters. In Bavaria, this figure is 47 percent, and in Baden-Württemberg, it's 94 percent. Prior to 1994, flood insurance was mandatory, but Asmussen disagrees with reintroducing it. "That wasn't a private sector solution, and the premiums didn't match the real risk," he says. "Insurance alone is not the answer." As flood prevention remains high on the agenda, measures such as building bans in dangerous zones and improved dams are underway. "Only then can we break the cycle of rising damages and rising premiums," Asmussen concludes.
Meanwhile, Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Soeder has proposed an aid package worth at least 100 million euros for those affected by the flood disaster. This aid package would benefit both private citizens and commercial entities, self-employed individuals, and farmers. The funding aims to help people quickly and without excessive bureaucracy, according to Soeder, who also urged the federal government to make good on its promises and provide aid. Bavarian households may be eligible for up to 5,000 euros in emergency aid for their homes, 10,000 euros for oil damage, and up to 100 percent reimbursement for those facing an existential crisis. Companies and commercial enterprises can expect relief between 5,000 and 200,000 euros, depending on whether the damages were insurable.
The Danube in Passau is nearing the ten-meter mark, with a level of 9.95 meters reported by the flood warning service (HND) at noon. This figure exceeds the previously anticipated 9.50-meter level for afternoon and is closer to the 8.50-meter mark, where built-up areas start getting flooded. In the afternoon, the 8.50-meter level was reached in Passau. The Meteorological Service has identified a warning for rain in southern Germany, though no stormy rains are expected. The rainfall trend is projected to rise over the weekend in the south, but not to the magnitude of the past few days. The DWD meteorologist, Robert Hausen, says, "We hope the water levels will have declined slightly by then."
With the official Bavarian flood situation somewhat improving, fewer stormy rainfalls are expected, and some water levels will see significant decreases. The flood situation remains tense due to high water levels, but the Danube section from Kelheim to Passau is expected to see improved conditions until Wednesday. The situation is much better in Ingolstadt, with the peak of the flood expected to be just above the fourth warning level in the evening. Meanwhile, Kelheim only sees minor increases within the fourth warning level, and Passau predicts a Danube level below the 2002 flood mark. However, high water levels persist in the Danube section from Kelheim to Passau until Wednesday.
As the floods continue, the German insurers are bracing themselves for significant damage, with costs potentially reaching those of the Saarland flood on Whit Sunday. The percentage of insured properties in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg will determine the final expenses. Germany's insurance chief, Jörg Asmussen, challenges the idea of bringing back compulsory flood insurance, saying it was not a private sector solution, nor did the premiums accurately reflect the real risk. He argues that insurance is not the complete answer. Meanwhile, flood prevention measures, including building bans and better dams, are being put in place to minimize future damages and premium increases.
In Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, the death toll from the flooding has risen to five, as reported by the police. A woman driving in Markt Rettenbach, Bavaria, lost control of her car and slid into a swollen ditch on Monday, ultimately dying from the incident. It's suspected that she took a flooded road, overlooking a barrier. unfortunate event that caused her car to be quickly surrounded by water. Despite her attempts to contact rescuers, the police discovered her car half-submerged. Investigators believe it was an unfortunate accident. Earlier, authorities reported four fatalities due to flooding.
In Bavaria, the flooded Autobahn 9 has been reopened without restrictions, according to the police. Previously, there were limitations on this segment between Ingolstadt-South and Langenbruck as a result of a dam breach. Before the reopening, only 300 cars were initially allowed on this section, and it was periodically closed for certain periods of time. Some other roads like B16 remain closed due to flooding.
Due to the excessive rainfall, navigability on Germany's primary waterway, the Rhine, is largely restricted. As stated by a representative from the Rhine Waterways and Shipping Authority (WSA) to Reuters, 'Shipping has been suspended on the Middle and Upper Rhine.' Initially, only the Upper Rhine was impacted in areas such as Maxau, Mannheim, and Worms. The Middle Rhine areas around Mainz and Bingen have now been affected by the flooding. Ships that have docked or are in ports are currently waiting for the water levels to decrease. The peak is expected to be reached either during the day or in the evening. This stretch from Bingen may be navigable again on Thursday. The goal of these closures is to prevent damage to the banks. The ships' waves create overflowing banks, causing basements to flood.
The German Railways (DB) cannot yet operate several lines in both local and long-distance traffic in South Germany due to the floods. On four different lines, there are still train disruptions: Stuttgart-Ulm-Augsburg-Munich, Donauwörth-Augsburg on Nuremberg-Donauwörth-Augsburg-Munich, Buchloe-Memmingen on Munich-Memmingen-Lindau, and the entire Ulm-Memmingen-Kempten line. Thus, it's impossible to reach Munich from the west and north. The Bahn recommends against traveling to South Germany by train. The following lines have single disruptions and delays: Munich-Nuremberg-Erfurt-Berlin, Karlsruhe-Stuttgart-Ulm, Augsburg-Munich, Stuttgart-Mannheim-Frankfurt(M), Munich-Lindau-Bregenz-Zurich, Karlsruhe-Stuttgart-Crailsheim-Nuremberg, Augsburg-Kempten(Allgäu)-Oberstdorf, and Nuremberg-Würzburg.
The search for a missing firefighter in the Swabia floods is still ongoing, as reported by the police. However, as the police spokesman Holger Stabik noted, they are no longer worried about the dangerous current to do a search from the water because the flow is too strong. Instead, they'll be looking for him using resources on land and in the air, including drones and a helicopter. There are fears that the 22-year-old lost his life in the floodwaters. If he did pass away, he would become the fifth death in the floods in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. (Refer to entries at 10:06 am and 06:22 am.)
A missing firefighter search continues in Swabia's floodwaters. Police have since rectified their initial statement halting the search. The 22-year-old, who was on his way with a boat from Offingen's DLRG lifeguard service near the Baden-Württemberg border, is believed to have drowned. The boat he was in alongside four other emergency service personnel capsized due to powerful currents. Four of them landed safely while the remaining member is still missing.
8:45 Regensburg's mayor issues warning against flood tourism
Regensburg's mayor, Gertrud Maltz-Schwarzfischer, urges against flood sightseeing, stating "Don't look, see what's going on." Despite an influx of tourists, Maltz-Schwarzfischer asks people not to move around recklessly. Areas like jetties haven't been secured, so they could potentially interrupt rescue operations. The city is in a precarious condition, with groundwater and unstable foundations causing complications in evacuating people. She hopes water levels drop during the day and shares concerns about dikes and preventative measures. "We have a more perilous situation than in 2013. The vast groundwater levels and the unstable foundations endanger evacuations. The pressure on the dikes with shifting ground is now at a critical point."
8:25 Passau prepares for high afternoon floods
Passau, a city in Lower Bavaria, anticipates potentially dangerous floods in the afternoon. It's expected to surpass the 9.50-meter water level that has already been exceeded, according to ntv reporter Felix Balß's report.
7:48 Unprecedented operations for Bavarian Fire Brigade Association
The Bavarian Fire Brigade Association's Johann Eitzenberger describes the current circumstances, which require firefighters at a scale never seen before. "This is indeed unique," Eitzenberger describes the situation for Süddeutsche Zeitung, noting there are 30,000 volunteer firefighters constantly working to prevent and minimize damage. The situation is currently stable, but unknown circumstances may still arise. "There will still be a need for highly specialized skills, such as handling oil from heating tanks."
7:28 Video: Danube dikes and dams under pressure
The Danube is forcefully pushing against the dikes in Southern Germany, endangering their stability. Passau, with its city center already submerged, has been barricaded.
6:55 Castle ruins begin to collapse
Ruins of the Falkenstein Castle in Upper Bavaria are collapsing, causing the evacuation of 50 residents. The castle has experienced many changes throughout history—it was first constructed around the year 1300, with an outer fortress built in the 15th and 16th centuries. Following a time frame of expansion during the 16th and 17th centuries, the castle was destroyed in the end of the 18th century. The Petersberg monument complex, which houses St. Peter's Church and the adjacent Mesner House, contains the Falkenstein Castle. The extent of damages to the ruins is yet undisclosed.
6:22 Search efforts for missing firefighter suspended
The search operation for a missing firefighter in Swabia's floods will no longer be actively pursued. The 22-year-old man is likely to have drowned, a police spokesman shared, adding the individual might be recovered once the water recedes. He was traveling from Offingen near the Baden-Württemberg border with a DLRG water rescue boat, which capsized from strong currents. Three rescue crew members reached land safely while the young man remained missing.
Note: Police later clarified that efforts to locate the missing firefighter will indeed continue (9:38 a.m. entry).
6:03 Recorded "century-level rainfall"
Century-level rainfall has been observed at multiple locations across Southern Germany, with some stations receiving the same volume of precipitation only every 50 to 100 years, according to meteorologist Thomas Deutschländer of the German Weather Service. "This is quite special, but not entirely unexpected," he commented. Data is still preliminary, so further analysis is needed before confirming the veracity of these historical rainfall levels. Typically, some stations fail or produce low readings. "However, correct measurements are still coming in, indicating the water level will likely increase slightly."
12:33 The Danube in Passau rises above nine metersThe water level in the Danube at Passau has surpassed the nine-meter mark in the wee hours of Tuesday. The flood warning service (HND) recorded a water height of 9.27 meters at 3 AM. On Monday evening, the reading was noted to be 8.83 meters. HND forecasts expect the peak to be hit at noon on Tuesday, with 9.50 meters. The old town of Passau was almost entirely blocked off to traffic on Monday due to the impending flood.According to the HND, areas become heavily flooded once the water level reaches 8.50 meters. This level was observed in Passau on Monday afternoon.
11:07 200 people to be evacuated in RegensburgFacing a worsening flood situation, 200 individuals in the central Regensburg area have been ordered to leave their homes. The city explains on its website that, "due to the increasingly high groundwater levels in the Werftstrasse, there is an imminent threat that the flood protection elements will no longer maintain their integrity." In light of this, the municipal disaster control has mandated the evacuation of the entire street.
09:47 The flood situation in the Rosenheim district has slightly improvedThe flood situation in the southern region of Rosenheim has shown some signs of relief. This was announced by the district. The schools and kindergartens in the affected communities are thus expected to remain closed on Tuesday. Raubling and Rohrdorf were identified as locations where evacuations have occurred. At first, it was unclear how many individuals were affected. Previously, the district had declared a state of disaster. With over a thousand emergency personnel from the fire department and the Technical Relief Organization on site, the district continued to address the crisis. According to reports from the German Weather Service, there may be less rain in Bavaria overnight.
07:28 The German Weather Service lifts all weather warningsDuring this period of severe flooding in southern Germany, the German Weather Service (DWD) has revoked all weather warnings for the country. This was communicated by the DWD. Excessive rainfall over the past few days has led to significantly increased levels on various streams and rivers, specifically in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Numerous settlements in these areas were impacted, even after dams had been breached. At least four deaths have been attributed to the floods thus far. The situation in certain parts of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg continued to be tense on Monday.
05:12 Many water levels in the southwest are subsidingFollowing the floods of previous days, the water levels are declining in most rivers in the southwest. Information from the flood forecast center indicates that while large rivers like the Danube and Rhine are still witnessing rising gauge readings, there are no longer any critical values anticipated to be exceeded. According to a spokesperson, "at the Danube in Hundersingen in the district of Sigmaringen downstream, and at Lake Constance, as well as the Upper and Upper Rhine, the water is currently still rising." However, at the Maxau gauge near Karlsruhe, the peak value of 8.29 meters recorded on Sunday will likely not be exceeded again. The trend at the Neckar is now receding.
21:43 Rosenheim District: Stay at HomeThe district of Rosenheim in Upper Bavaria has requested that residents shelve outdoor activities in light of the flood. "There is a very real danger to personal safety," explains an official statement from the authority. Residents are advised to steer clear of open bodies of water and avoid obstructing rescue workers in their tasks. Schools and kindergartens in a string of communities - namely, Brannenburg, Raubling, Rohrdorf, Oberaudorf, Kiefersfelden, Nussdorf, Neubeuern, Bad Feilnbach, and Flintsbach - will not be operating on Tuesday, as per instructions from the State Education Authority in Rosenheim.
20:37 Part of Rosenheim's Burg Falkenstein has collapsedIn Flintsbach, a part of Burg Falkenstein has cracked apart due to the heavy rainfall. The Rosenheim District Administration delivers this news. Approximately 50 residents must be evacuated from this part of town.
20:00 Camping site in Wesel cleared within 24 hoursThe camping site in Wesel, North Rhine-Westphalia, requires that all inhabitants evacuate the premises within the following 24 hours due to the flood situation. The Grav-Island management revealed the details. The rising water levels in the neighboring rivers and bodies of water are the cause for this measure. With 5,000 permanent campers, the Grav-Island is the largest camping site in Germany.
19:35 The Werftstraße in Regensburg undergoing evacuationThe Werftstraße of Regensburg is being evacuated, as the city of Regensburg reports. The area, which is directly on the Danube, is experiencing increasingly soft soil underneath due to the elevated groundwater levels. The installed flood protection elements could fail, thereby flooding the street. Around 200 people are expected to be evacuated as of 9 PM.
All other developments can be found here. [The rest of the story is truncated for brevity in this paraphrase.]
