Highway 9 reopened in both directions after a dam burst incident.
The partially closed A9 highway in Upper Bavaria has reopened, allowing unrestricted travel. The police had set up a checkpoint on Monday heading towards Munich, but it was removed this morning. This section between Ingolstadt-South and Langenbruck is now free from restrictions. Earlier, only 300 vehicles were allowed on this stretch at a time, and the road was closed multiple times. However, other roads in the region, like the B16 between Manching and Ernsgaden, remain closed due to flooding.
10:40: Shipping at a standstill on the Middle and Upper Rhine due to flooding.Germany's main waterway, the Rhine, is no longer navigable in many areas due to heavy rainfall. The Rhine Waterways and Shipping Authority (WSA) reports that "shipping has come to a standstill on the Middle and Upper Rhine." Initially, only the Upper Rhine near areas like Maxau, Mannheim, and Worms was affected, but now even parts of the Middle Rhine, including Mainz and Bingen, are flooded. Many ships have taken refuge or are in ports, waiting for water levels to drop. The banks can prevent damage from the waves generated by the ships, which could flood basements.
10:20: Train service still disrupted on various lines in South Germany.Several train lines in South Germany are still experiencing delays due to flooding in parts of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. The Deutsch Bahn reports that the following sections are still disrupted: between Stuttgart-Ulm-Augsburg-Munich on the Stuttgart-Ulm-Augsburg-Munich line, between Donauwörth and Augsburg on the Nuremberg-Donauwörth-Augsburg-Munich line, between Buchloe and Memmingen on the Munich-Memmingen-Lindau line, and the entire line between Ulm-Memmingen-Kempten. Access to Munich from the west and north is still restricted. The railway advises against train journeys to South Germany. Delays and failures have also been reported on the 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 lines.
10:06: Drone and helicopter rescue for missing firefighter in Swabia.The search for a missing 22-year-old firefighter in Swabia continues despite the dangerous floodwaters. Police spokesperson Holger Stabik says the current flow is too large to allow searching from the water, so drones and a helicopter will be used. The young man disappeared near the border with Baden-Württemberg in Offingen while on a boat with the DLRG water rescue service. Four out of five rescue teams were able to reach land safely and remained unharmed. The fear is that the 22-year-old has drowned, making him the fifth confirmed flood victim in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.
09:38: Correction: Search for missing firefighter continues.Contrary to a previous statement, the search for the missing 22-year-old firefighter in Swabia is still ongoing. The police have removed their earlier statement about ending the search. The young man, who was part of a five-person team on a boat from the DLRG water rescue service, disappeared near the border with Baden-Württemberg in Offingen. The boat capsized in strong currents, but four of the team members reached land safely. The search will continue on land and in the air, with drones and a helicopter involved. The 22-year-old is feared to have drowned.
08:45 "Check it out, but don't just look": Regensburg's mayor urges against flood tourismThe mayor of the currently flood-afflicted city of Regensburg, Gertrud Maltz-Schwarzfischer, advises against flood tourism. "We currently have many tourists, but now the locals are also on the move. Please don't come and check it out, see how it is," Maltz-Schwarzfischer told Bayerischer Rundfunk. Above all, visitors should not go on the jetties, as responders could be working there. In the fourth largest city in Bavaria, located on the Danube, the situation was tense at night, according to the mayor. The high groundwater levels and the unstable soil were posing a threat to evacuations. The high water mark has been reached, she hopes the levels will drop during the day on Tuesday. Whether the dams and protective structures will hold is uncertain, says the mayor. "We're in a different situation than in 2013 because of the very high groundwater levels and the subsoil is becoming so unstable. And the pressure on the dams with a fluctuating groundwater level is already critical."
08:25 Earlier expected for afternoon: Passau feared – "The water level in the Danube is already at 9.54 meters"The situation in the Lower Bavarian city of Passau is developing particularly dramatically. The city had expected the flood peak with a water level of 9.50 meters in the afternoon - but this level has already been surpassed, as reported by ntv reporter Felix Balß.
07:48 Bavarian Fire Brigade Association: Unprecedented manpower mobilizationThe fire departments in Bavaria are being called up like never before, according to the Bavarian Fire Brigade Association. "This is truly unique," says association chief Johann Eitzenberger to the Süddeutsche Zeitung. "We have 30,000 volunteer firefighters on duty every day and are doing everything possible to prevent and minimize damage where possible." The situation is currently under control, but one never knows what will happen next, says Eitzenberger. "Special skills will still be needed for a long time, like dealing with oil from heating systems."
07:28 Video: Danube Dikes and Protective Walls Threatened to BurstThe Danube is now pressing on dikes and additional protective walls in southern Germany with massive water masses. Some of the dikes are now in danger of breaking through. The city of Passau is already underwater and sealed off.
06:55 Castle Slides Down - Residents EvacuatedPortions of the Burg Falkenstein in Upper Bavaria have descended due to the persistent rain. Below the castle, 50 residents have been evacuated, according to the Rosenheim district. The Burg Falkenstein in Flintsbach is a popular hiking destination. The main castle Falkenstein was built around 1300, and the adjacent outer castle was built in the 15th and 16th centuries. Following a major renovation in the 16th and 17th centuries, the complex was destroyed by fires at the end of the 18th century. It is part of the Petersberg monument complex with the Roman Peterskirche and the nearby Mesner House. The extent of the damage to the ruin is not known.
06:22 Search for Missing Firefighter in Flood DiscontinuedThe search for a missing firefighter in the flood in Swabia has been discontinued. The 22-year-old is likely to have drowned, says a police spokesperson. He will probably be found when the water recedes. The young man was on a boat of the DLRG water rescue with five firefighters in Offingen near the border with Baden-Württemberg. The boat with the five firefighters on board capsized in strong currents. Four firefighters aged 24 to 70 were able to reach shore and remained unharmed.
Note: The police later stated that the search for the missing firefighter would continue (see entry at 09:38 a.m.).
06:03 Stations Measure "Century Rainfalls"At several locations in southern Germany, as much rain has fallen in the past few days as only every 50 to 100 years, according to preliminary data. "We can speak of century rainfalls," says meteorologist Thomas Deutschländer of the German Weather Service. "That's quite special, but not completely unusual." "All this is still preliminary, we need to check the data," says Deutschländer. Occasionally, stations fail or the measurements may be too low. "However, we usually have more to come, and the current data are rather conservative."
05:33 The Danube in Passau breaches the nine-meter markThe water level in the Danube in Passau has exceeded the nine-meter mark overnight. At 3 am, the flood alarm service (HND) reports a water level of 9.27 meters. On Monday evening, the reading was 8.83 meters. According to the HND prediction, the peak is expected to be reached on Tuesday afternoon at 9.50 meters. The Passau old town was closed to car traffic on Monday due to the flood. Starting at a gauge reading of 8.50 meters, beaches will be flooded more severely, according to the HND. This level was reached in Passau on Monday afternoon.
04:07 Regensburg: 200 People Need to Leave HomesIn Regensburg, a city in Bavaria, Germany, 200 residents living in the Werftstraße area must evacuate their homes due to the dangerously rising groundwater levels. The city government mentions the flood situation worsening, and the flood protection structures are at risk of failing, leading to potential floods.
02:47 Rosenheim District: Slight Relief in Flood SituationThe flood situation in the Rosenheim region of Germany is slightly improving, as mentioned by the district authorities. However, this comes with closures in schools and kindergartens in the affected areas on Tuesday. In Raubling and Rohrdorf, evacuations have taken place, but the number of people involved is currently unknown. On Sunday, the district had declared a disaster, with over 1000 emergency workers assisting. The German Weather Service predicts a decrease in rainfall overnight.
01:28 German Weather Service: Storm Warnings LiftedIn the midst of the flood disaster in Germany's south, the German Weather Service (DWD) has lifted all storm warnings. Heavy rainfall has affected Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg regions, causing high levels in waterways and flooding entire communities. Sadly, at least four deaths have occurred. Even though tensions remain in parts of both states, DWD states that there won't be more critical peaks, which could breach existing levels.
00:12 Most Water Levels in the Southwest FallingAfter the floods of the last few days in the southwest of Germany, water levels on the majority of rivers here are declining. However, the large rivers, such as the Danube and Rhine, still show rising readings. According to the Flood Forecasting Center, no more critical values will be exceeded. The Danube from Pegel Hundersingen in Sigmaringen downstream, as well as Lake Constance, Upper and Upper Rhine, and the German states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, are currently rising. At Pegel Maxau near Karlsruhe, the peak reached at 8.29 meters on Sunday is not expected to rise again. The Neckar is showing a downward trend.
22:53 Rosenheim District: Residents To Stay at HomeDue to the flooding, the Rosenheim district in Upper Bavaria has asked residents to remain indoors. The district administration warns of grave danger and risks, urging people to avoid going outdoors, keeping away from any bodies of water, and not disrupting rescue works. On Tuesday, schools in Bruck, Raubling, Rohrdorf, Oberaudorf, Kiefersfelden, Nussdorf, Neubeuern, Bad Feilnbach, and Flintsbach will be closed. The State Education Authority in Rosenheim will notify the affected schools. Kindergartens in these towns are also slated to close.
21:47 Rosenheim District: Collapse of Burg FalkensteinIn Flintsbach, Rosenheim district, parts of the Burg Falkenstein castle have broken down due to the heavy rainfall. According to the district administration in Rosenheim, approximately 50 residents will need to be evacuated.
21:08 Grav Island Camping Site Must Be EvacuatedWesel, an area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, has received orders to evacuate their largest camping site within 24 hours. The Grav Island operators have issued this order due to the increasing water levels in the surrounding rivers. Grav Island is Germany's largest camping site, accommodating 5,000 permanent campers.
20:53 Regensburg: Evacuation of WerftstraßeThe Regensburg Werftstraße is being evacuated, as reported by the city government. Werftstraße is located along the Danube, and the ground is collapsing due to the rising groundwater. The installed flood protection structures may fail, causing potential flooding. Around 200 people must be rescued from the area starting at 21:00.
