Heavy rain expected on the Neckar as Bavaria faces challenges.
Torrential rain is still causing chaos in South Germany, with numerous emergency workers and residents on edge. In Baden-Württemberg, the precipitation has momentarily stopped, but new thunderstorms are forecast. Bavaria, on the other hand, is still in a tense situation. 40,000 people are supposedly working there, as Bavaria's Minister President Markus Söder confirmed during a visit to Reichertshofen. In several towns in the Free State, people were instructed to take shelter. In Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, a firefighter lost his life during a rescue operation. In Baden-Württemberg, the situation is becoming slightly less severe, particularly on the Neckar and Tauber, yet increasing water levels are anticipated.
In Pfaffenhofen, a fire department member reported unpredictable flooding, "which we have never had to record before." The market of Reichertshofen is currently underwater. "We can't do anything more, we basically have to give up. But giving up doesn't mean that we risk our lives for it, we have that under control." Currently, approximately 4600 helpers are active in this district.
Söder emphasized the need for immediate adherence to safety warnings. "If they get the alarm call somewhere and the order to leave, to evacuate: don't take the time to pack your belongings, just leave right away. It's a matter of life or death."
Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens), who accompanied Söder on his visit, expressed astonishment at the firefighter's death. "The emergency services, both professional and voluntary, are risking their lives to save people in the flood areas." This is not something to take for granted. A spokesperson for the Swabia South Police Headquarters confirmed that another firefighter has been missing since the early hours of the night. The 22-year-old was on his way to a rescue operation in a boat with a coworker from the voluntary firefighting unit and three helpers from the DLRG around 2:50 a.m. when their boat capsized. Four of the rescuers were saved from the water, the 22-year-old was not found. A thorough search is being conducted. Two helicopters have also been deployed.
By Saturday evening, 10 Bavarian communities had declared a state of emergency. The Danube and several of its tributaries were particularly swollen. The THW has already dispatched over 1800 people to the flood-affected areas. Countless firefighters are working nonstop. Due to the unceasing rainfall, the district office in Dillingen in the Bavarian part of Swabia also declared a state of emergency. The disaster worsened at the Zusam, a tributary of the Danube, on Saturday evening. The local crisis team requested assistance from the Bundeswehr.
There are some bright spots, but no real relief in Baden-Württemberg. In Ochsenhausen, north of Lake Constance, the local mayor Christian Bürkle reported that there are signs of improvement. The water level of the Rottum River has dropped slightly. Nevertheless, the effects of the flooding were still noticeable on Sunday. In two communities in the Rems-Murr district and in one community in the Ostalb district, boiling is necessary for drinking water since Saturday evening. The river water has contaminated the supply.
However, these are just a few instances. The situation remains unchanged. Parts of Meckenbeuren on Lake Constance are still submerged. The Schussen River has spilled over and flooded the streets. There are no injuries.
At the Neckar, the water level is predicted to rise on Monday. In Heidelberg, the likelihood of a once-in-five to ten-year flood is high. On a major portion of the Neckar, shipping could be halted if the water level in Mannheim reaches 7.60 meters. Other rivers and streams in Baden-Württemberg are also predicted to rise sharply and significantly by Sunday. This would particularly be detrimental to areas with small and medium-sized rivers.
The catchment areas around the Neckar and Tauber are especially affected. The rainfall will not let up on Sunday. According to a spokesperson for the HVZ, the consequences for the communities around these rivers could be catastrophic.
From Monday morning, the possibility of further increases in the upper Danube and its tributaries is a concern. The HVZ expects a potential worsening of the local flood situation. Afternoon, there is a potential for heavy thunderstorms with rainfall of up to 25 liters per square meter in a short span of time in southern Germany. It could be up to 40 liters per square meter in extreme storms.
Train traffic is experiencing further restrictions, as stated on the Deutsche Bahn's website. Affected routes include Munich-Nuremberg-Berlin, Stuttgart-Mannheim-Frankfurt, Munich-Lindau-Bregenz-Zurich, Karlsruhe-Stuttgart-Crailsheim-Nuremberg, and Augsburg-Kempten-Oberstdorf. There was no long-distance traffic available between Stuttgart and Munich on Saturday morning. The railway company suggested against traveling to the affected flood areas in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.
A landslide occurred in the town of Schwäbisch Gmünd in Germany on Saturday evening, resulting in an ICE (InterCityExpress) train derailment. No injuries were reported. The major long-distance rail route between Stuttgart and Munich is currently closed, and it is undetermined when it will reopen. The ICE is anticipated to be recovered on Sunday. The railway's spokesperson claims that the first two carriages on the journey from Munich to Cologne left the tracks around 11:20 pm, but did not tip over. The landslide was approximately 30 meters wide.
In other parts of Germany, the storms are forecasted to move southward in the evening, with strong thunderstorms and heavy rain expected in the Alpine foothills. Regions in Thuringia, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Brandenburg may also be affected during the afternoon and evening. The forecast anticipates up to 30 liters of rain per square meter during these storms. The storms are expected to subside by Monday night.
In Thuringia and Saxony, rescue services have only reported a few incidents. However, in Colditz, a town in the Leipzig district, the fire department was busy: On Saturday evening, several cellars had flooded, and properties had flooded. In addition, access to two city districts was closed for several hours due to the rain. At the moment, there are no reports of injuries.
In the Saxon districts of Bautzen and Görlitz, a total of 16 incidents related to storms were reported during the day on Saturday. The fire department primarily aided in clearing roads of mud. There were no significant incidents or damage reported by the police departments in Leipzig and Chemnitz. In Hesse, the A7 motorway was closed for several hours due to flooding between Bad Hersfeld and Homberg Efze.
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In the face of the international concern surrounding the flood situation, Bavaria's Minister President Markus Söder emphasized the importance of heeding safety warnings during his visit to Reichertshofen. Notably, Robert Habeck, the Federal Economics Minister from Baden-Württemberg, expressed his admiration for the efforts of the emergency services in the flood-stricken areas. Despite some improvement in Ochsenhausen, North of Lake Constance, the situation in Bavaria remains tense with further flooding expected on the Neckar, particularly in Heidelberg, on Monday.
