At 06:58 p.m., 29 climbers were successfully saved from a snowstorm on the summit of Zugspitze.
Mountaineering enthusiasts in trouble at Zugspitze receive rescue. 29 individuals were accompanied safely to Sonnalpin Restaurant at Zugspitzplatt by rescue professionals, the rescue team informed. Multiple calls for help were made, a representative of the rescue team shared. They could no longer continue due to poor weather and fresh snowfall approximately 2500 meters above sea level, only 900 meters from the Sonnalpin. The rescue team promptly intervened. Employees of Zugspitzbahn were also en route with grooming machines to find these climbers, a Zugspitzbahn representative expressed.
18:42 Branderburg warned of severe thunderstorm dangersThe German Meteorological Department (DWD) issues grave warnings about the dangers of severe thunderstorms in some regions of Brandenburg. Alerts are issued for Dahme-Spreewald, Märkisch-Oderland, and Oder-Spree until the evening per DWD reporting. Lightning strikes, falling trees or power lines, dropping objects, abrupt flooding of roads, landslides, and hail are among the potential threats.
18:11 Motorway A3 partially closed, flooded in BavariaThe Bavaria stretch of motorway A3 near Regensburg is shut down in both directions across a 10 km distance between exits Parsberg and Beratzhausen due to flooding. Police Headquarters in Upper Palatinate shared the information. "Water is pushing onto the motorway from the fields," a representative stated. Traffic police in Regensburg, Autobahnmeisterei, and fire department are at the scene, a spokesperson mentioned. Traffic will be redirected, they indicated.
17:51 Memmingen prison evacuated due to flood riskThe Memmingen, Bavaria, prison is being emptied because of the risk of flooding. This was confirmed by Nonstopnews. Up to 150 inmates will be relocated to Landsberg, Kempten, and Augsburg temporarily. In front of the prison, the Memminger Ach - a small river - is raging and threatening to flood the prison, based on reports. Parts of the court are already covered in water. This may lead to a power outage, so prison management opted for the evacuation. Police were on scene with numerous emergency vehicles to facilitate the evacuation. The evacuation had to occur over flooded streets since access was already flooded. The fire department was disposing water from the prison during this time.
17:35 Occasional heavy rain triggers water level rise to level 4At numerous locations in Swabia, heavy rain has triggered water levels to rise to level 4. Furthermore, rivers in Lower Bavaria and the Upper Palatinate have expanded. Exceedances at level 4 were noted by Flood Warning Service (HND) at Neu-Ulm Bad Held (Danube), Hasberg (Mindel), Fleinhausen (Zusam), Fischach (Schmutter), and Fischach (Schmutter). The same was registered for the Regen in Cham, Upper Palatinate. The 100-year flood is signaled by Nattenhausen (Günz) and Dasing (Paar) gauges, as per the HND.
The water level at the Wiblingen (Iller) gauge is predicted to reach level 3 on Saturday to Sunday, suggesting a decline in water levels in the lower Iller. In the northern Danube tributaries of Wörnitz, Sulzach, Altmuhl, Schwarze Laber, and Naab, individual gauges have water level exceedances of level 1 and 2, with an intensifying tendency. From Neu-Ulm to Kelheim, water levels are anticipated to reach level 3 throughout the day, as an example in Gunzburg, Donauwörth, and Neuburg. Kelheim's gauge might exceed at night on Sunday. On the Danube section past Passau, level 1 and 2 raises are expected.
17:23 Regular flights at Munich Airport despite heavy rainDespite the heavy rain across much of Bavaria, flight operations at Munich Airport proceed unaltered. Not a single flight has been canceled. There are various factors for this. "We see water settling in the fields next to the runways," Robert Wilhelm, airport spokesperson, told BR. The airport is positioned slightly higher. Furthermore, the runway slopes towards the sides, permitting water to drain. The runways are also 'grooved', equipped with grooves that accelerate water runoff. Therefore, no aquaplaning risks currently exist, Wilhelm stated to the Bavarian broadcaster. The airport anticipates no significant issues for the remainder of the weekend.
5:07 PM: "The worst is yet to come"
Bavarian Minister President Markus Söder is assessing the situation in the region heavily affected by the storm in Diedorf, Augsburg. He expresses gratitude to the rescuers and local authorities there. "Bavaria has passed the test," says the minister president, describing the current situation as "strenuous" for the citizens. "This is just the beginning," he adds, in the presence of Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann. The focus of the storm is presently in Swabia, where resources have been deployed to deal with the situation. Söder emphasized the crucial role of rescuers, such as firefighters, the Bavarian Red Cross, the police, and the Tech Relief Organization. "Without them, we wouldn't stand a chance," he says. He urged citizens to follow the safety rules. Evacuation orders should be followed, not to walk into basements or attempt to drive out of garages.
4:35 PM: No train traffic due to storms
The storms and flooding in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria affect rail traffic as well. Deutsche Bahn announces disruptions and cancellations throughout South Germany. Two critical ICE lines reportedly disrupted, with no trains between Munich, Bregenz, and Zurich on Saturday, due to the floods. The Ulm-Augsburg line is also affected. Bahn provides real-time updates on delays, cancellations, and disruptions on their website.
4:12 PM: Disaster in Unterallgau - Rescue with white cloth
The Bavarian district of Unterallgau is now grappling with a catastrophe as well. In Babenhausen, a part of the phone network has collapsed, leaving those in need without a way to make an emergency call. The district administration advises those residents in distress to hang a white cloth or sheet outside their windows or try to draw attention in some visible way. Rescue operations are already underway in Babenhausen, with inflatable boats being used to rescue residents.
3:57 PM: 400 THW Forces Working in South Germany
Around 400 THW (Technical Relief Organization) forces have been deployed so far to deal with the storms in South Germany. The THW in Bonn reports this. They are currently pumping out water, securing dams, and evacuating people in advance. This could change with constant heavy rainfall, and the THW warns of the possibility to deploy even more teams. Mobile flood gauges will also be installed and monitored to track water levels.
3:37 PM: Map: All Current Flood Warnings
This map demonstrates all current flood warnings. The information is updated as needed.
3:15 PM: 26-Person Climbing Group Stuck Under Zugspitze Summit
A 26-person mountain climbing group is stranded several hundreds of meters below the Zugspitze peak. Over 60 centimeters of new snow has fallen as the valley reports continuous rain. Low temperatures and reduced visibility due to blizzards in the region cause problems for rescue teams, who are searching for the climbers. It is unclear why the climbers attempted to ascend the Zugspitze in such extreme conditions.
3:00 PM: Disaster Emergency State Declared in Donau-Ries District
The Donau-Ries district in Bavaria has declared a disaster emergency to bring together all forces more quickly and efficiently for the anticipated flooding. The district administrator, Stefan Roessle, urges calm and avoiding flood-prone areas for now. "This emergency not only involves close cooperation of the district administration, municipalities, rescue services and THW crews," he says, "but also the voluntary services, clubs and citizens undertaking immediate assistance measures in their own neighborhoods."
Bavarian leaders, Markus Söder (Minister President) and Joachim Herrmann (Interior Minister), are set to visit the flooded region around Augsburg on Saturday. Their purpose is to examine the water crisis in Diedorf up close as declared by the Interior Ministry. District Administrator Martin Sailer is also accompanying them. However, the original plan for them to see the weightily affected Fischach was altered because of the desperate situation. Currently, evacuations are underway in Diedorf, with the rain causing dire circumstances in Swabia. Following the district of Günzburg, Augsburg and Aichach-Friedberg have now declared disasters.
In Meckenbeuren, Bodenseekreis, the water level of the Schussen River is growing more intense. By midday on Saturday, the height measured 4.72 meters, according to a spokesperson from the town. It is anticipated that the water will reach its peak shortly. Compared to when flooding hit in 2021, the flow was at 4.50 meters. Regularly, the river only bears 0.45 meters of water. Consequently, on Friday night, the city urged around 1300 people to migrate from their homes for precautionary reasons. A considerable amount relocated with friends or relatives' help. Only a small fraction utilized a refuge. For the sake of avoiding destruction from flooding, schools, kindergartens, and social halls were vacated in advance. The district with 14,000 inhabitants shuttered bridges as a measure against potential destructive consequences.
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The rescue team at Zugspitze mentions the initial struggle due to 'blowing snow' and poor visibility during their mission.
The grave weather warning for Brandenburg includes threats of 'floods' and 'hail'.
The stranded climbers on Zugspitze's summit share their concern for the 'live ticker' updates on the rescue operations.
