Inundation - Fears of flooding persist along the Danube in Bavaria.
In Bavaria, some areas are facing low water levels, but tensions remain high in others. The danube's water levels remain high in eastern Bavaria, leading to concerns about the dikes in Regensburg. The ground is completely saturated, and authorities have stopped pumping water out to allow more time for the subsoil to stabilize. However, if a certain level is reached, the pumps will be turned back on. In Regensburg, two ships were moved and their crews airlifted by helicopter as a precaution. The ground is becoming increasingly unstable due to the high groundwater. The high water level has not receded significantly in Passau and Deggendorf, and officials are still preparing for potential damage. The district of Donau-Ries remains critical, with stability issues with dikes and dams. A missing firefighter is being sought in Schwaben, and continuing evacuation recommendations are in effect for certain areas. Despite evacuations and closures, curious onlookers continue to cause problems for emergency services. A special company is to secure the damaged castle Falkenstein with steel cables, and a geologist has been called in to examine the ground.
Empty houses, swollen dikes, closed train tracks, and people searching for missing persons - the water situation in Bavaria is still tense on Wednesday, even though some areas have shown slight improvements. The danube's water levels haven't budged much in eastern Bavaria, with Regensburg feeling the pressure in the early afternoon.
Concerns Over Saturated Ground
Rescue crews in Regensburg permitted water to flow past the dikes along the danube. "Our ground is saturated," stated Michael Köstlinger, head of the Regensburg Public Works Department. This precaution was taken as concerns that the subsoil might suddenly fail. The hope was that the ground would become more stable and provide the dikes with more support. Köstlinger emphasized that pumping would resume if the water level near Werftstraße crosses a threshold.
Helicopters airlifted crews to two ships in Regensburg to secure them at the docks and keep them from drifting away. Around 30 houses in Regensburg were evacuated on Tuesday evening because of the rising groundwater. It's unclear when these residents can return home.
Tense Situation in Passau and Donau-Ries
On Wednesday, water levels in Passau and Deggendorf were still high, but receding slowly. The HND Bayern reported that Passau's water levels would decrease even slower on Wednesday compared to Tuesday. The district of Schwabian Donau-Ries faces a critical situation but hasn't given a general warning. Austere measures remain in place for threatened districts like Auchsesheim (Donauwörth) and Hamlar (Asbach-Bäumenheim). The district urged continued vigilance near dikes.
The search for a missing firefighter in Schwaben continues. He went missing during a flood rescue operation on Sunday in Offingen. A 32-year-old man was found in a tree in flooded Silberwald near Neu-Ulm on Tuesday, where he'd been trapped for two and a half days.
Curiosity Seekers Causing Problems for Law Enforcement
Despite numerous closures and warnings from officials, rubberneckers continued to create issues for emergency services. Lower Bavaria police reported that many people disobeyed orders and went into closed areas around Kelheim to observe the situation. The police had to issue multiple citations to drive away flood tourists. A woman even swam in a flooded pedestrian underpass in Deggendorf on Monday evening.
Castle Falkenstein Secured with Steel Cables
The castle ruins in Upper Bavaria's Flintsbach region, which had partially collapsed on Monday evening due to heavy rain, are now being secured by a special company using steel cables. A geologist has also been called in to examine the ground.
Encouragingly, environment minister Thorsten Glauber (FDP) said on Wednesday that some of the high water situation would improve by the end of the week, but cautioned that they would still need time.
Safety concerns prevent access to certain areas for now, as stated by Rosenheim district authorities on Wednesday. Despite this, local inhabitants in the vicinity have been granted permission to re-enter their homes.
Numerous roads and railway lines in Bavaria continue to remain closed due to flooding and landslides. At first, there were no trains operating on the ICE lines between Donauwörth and Augsburg and between Nuremberg and Würzburg. The heavily burdened long-distance traffic route between Ulm and Augsburg was only partially accessible.
Thunderstorms with heavy rainfall still lingered in some regions. The German Meteorological Service (DWD) predicted additional showers and thunderstorms on Wednesday and Thursday, with heavy rainfall possible only in eastern Alpine foothills. Thunderstorms with heavy rainfall of up to 15 liters per square meter per hour are possible in the afternoon and evening on Wednesday.
Three fatalities have been confirmed in Bavaria due to the floods, and the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior has reported three missing individuals. The number of missing people has been fluctuating frequently.
