Tempest Unleashed: Severe Weather Strikes the Region - Despite decreasing water levels, there's still no sense of normalcy during the floods.
Several people have lost their lives, some remain missing, and the extent of the damage is still uncertain - these are the preliminary statistics from the floods in South Germany. The most critical situation is in eastern Bavaria, even though the water levels at some points on the Danube are showing signs of decreasing. The flood warning service (HND) reports that Passau and Regensburg both still have water levels at the highest alert level 4 as of Tuesday.
Cleanup has started
In Baden-Württemberg, the situation is improving. Cleanup efforts have begun in the flood-stricken areas of western Bavaria. "We're a long way from normal yet," said an official in the affected community of Ebersbach an der Fils. Residents are working with emergency services and volunteers to clear away the largest debris from the streets, pump out basements, or dispose of spoiled goods. Specially provided containers are used for flood-damaged property.
Urgent restoration of power supplies in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm
In the Upper Bavarian district of Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, there is a sense of urgency to restore power. Bayernwerke has mobilized many employees on site, particularly in the area of the damaged substation in Reichertshofen, as reported by the district administration.
Regensburg remains concerned
However, Regensburg is still "still one, two days of real tension, real concern" ahead, said Mayor Gertrud Maltz-Schwarzfischer (SPD) on Tuesday during a visit by Minister President Markus Söder (CSU). Söder will return to the flood-affected area on Wednesday, this time to Passau.
The night before, residents in a Regensburg street along the Danube had to be evacuated because the protective walls were about to collapse due to swollen ground. "The ground on the Donauinseln is really wet," "really damp," "like a wobbly pudding," said Maltz-Schwarzfischer. "So the situation remains tense."
Regensburg still has water levels above normal
For Regensburg, the flood warning service reported a water level of more than six meters on Tuesday evening; normal is around three meters. Downstream, in the three-river city of Passau, the catastrophic situation remains. Several streets and areas in Passau are closed due to the flood. Guards will also be on duty overnight to detect damage early.
Water levels in Passau are falling, but slowly
According to the city of Passau, the peak of the rivers Donau, Inn, and Ilz has been reached - the water levels are falling. The Donau water level was at about 9.70 meters on Tuesday evening, according to the flood warning service (HND). Normal water levels in this area are around six meters. The water level at the Inn dropped from about seven meters to just under 6.70 meters. It is expected that the water levels in the next few hours will continue to drop. However, the Donau water level will fall more slowly. In Passau, the three rivers Donau, Inn, and Ilz converge.
Less rain, but no warning relaxation
According to the German Weather Service (DWD), there will be showers and thunderstorms on Wednesday and Thursday - heavy rain is only likely on the eastern Alpine fringe. On Tuesday, it was sunny in many places.
Despite falling water levels in some rivers, the water could still rise further on open land, warns the Donau-Ries district. "In this context, it is explicitly warned against prematurely considering the situation as safe."
Five deaths
At least five people lost their lives in the floods in southern Germany, and the Bavarian Interior Ministry reports that there are also several missing. A 57-year-old woman from Markt Rettenbach in the Unterallgäu district slid into the water with her car on Monday and was later found dead, the police reported on Tuesday. The car driver apparently disregarded a barrier on a flooded state road. In Schrobenhausen, a 43-year-old woman died in the basement of a house over the weekend. In Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, a firefighter died on duty. Another 22-year-old firefighter remained missing in Offingen in Swabia. In Baden-Württemberg, rescue teams discovered two dead in an empty cellar in Schorndorf in the particularly flood-affected Rems-Murr district on Monday.
Aid on the way
The Bavarian state government plans to provide three-digit million euro assistance to those affected - "100 million plus X" announced Minister President Söder after a corresponding cabinet decision in Munich. The aid package is meant to benefit both private households and commercial enterprises, self-employed individuals, and farmers. The first funds should be available this week. "Bavaria helps, quickly and bureaucratically," said Söder. According to a report by the Mediengruppe Bayern, the car manufacturer BMW is allocating 1.5 million euros as emergency aid for flood victims.
Troublemakers pose problems for rescuers
Occasionally, spectators created complications for emergency crews. Multiple officials asked people not to enter locked regions, maintain distance from embankments, and obey the rescue staff's directions. On Monday evening, a female went for a swim in Deggendorf's inundated pedestrian underpass.
In Austria, river transportation comes to a halt
The floodwaters in Germany move partially to Austria - it's also raining heavily there. The entire Danube course in Austria has been blocked for shipping. In certain portions of Lower Austria, streets, basements, and fields were inundated.
