Multiple counties announce an emergency status.

Multiple counties announce a state of urgency.

At Lake Constance, extreme weather has raised water levels dangerously, prompting communities to issue warnings and declare disasters in some cities.

In southern Germany, several regions are grappling with a critical river situation due to continuous heavy rainfall. The districts of Augsburg, Aichach-Friedberg, and Günzburg in Bavaria have declared a disaster alert. Authorities anticipate a significant rise in water levels in the hours ahead. In Fischach, Augsburg district, emergency responders used rescue helicopters to evacuate residents trapped in flooded homes. The police reported that the mud had risen far above the riverbanks, and there were boats and water police aiding in the rescue operation. They've saved some people already, some through boat transportation.

The German Weather Service (DWD) has issued the highest warning levels for several districts, with heavy rainfall expected in western Swabia, the Upper Allgäu, and Upper Bavaria, reaching up to 120 liters per square meter. For Middle and Upper Franconia, a warning level 3 has been issued, indicating rainfall amounts between 40 to 70 liters. Significant thunderstorms are expected in northern Bavaria from the afternoon onwards.

Train services face disruptions and delays, causing issues for long-distance transportation. German Railway (Deutsche Bahn) announced that two ICE lines will remain suspended all day on Saturday due to flooding: Munich-Bregenz-Zurich and the Ulm-Augsburg line. The Stuttgart-Munich long-distance trains will be diverted through Ansbach.

Baden-Württemberg is also experiencing severe weather conditions. The town of Wiesensteig (with 2,100 inhabitants) in the Göppingen district has a contaminated waterworks, triggering a boil order. This means the water must be boiled before use. Wiesensteig is located in the upper part of the Fils valley.

Essentially, there are fears of a once-in-a-century flood in some areas. This term refers to a flood size that occurs or is surpassed once every hundred years, according to meteorologists. There are ongoing weather warnings until Saturday afternoon in some places, with some extending until Monday. As of early Saturday morning, rainfall accumulation in Sigmarszell-Zeisertsweiler, Bavaria, reached 135 liters per square meter, while Kißlegg in Baden-Württemberg had 130 liters.

By Saturday afternoon, there were no major floods, but rivers and streams overflowed in various locations. The Swabian district of Unterallgäu asked around 150 people to voluntarily leave their homes, while Babenhausen saw around 100 people affected. In Babenhausen, residents were partially escorted to safety by boats. Both Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder and Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU) were scheduled to visit the Swabian flood zone on Saturday.

Police have been actively responding to the emergency, mainly in Swabia and northern Bavaria. Several residents were injured in traffic accidents caused by the rain the previous day. Reports flooded in of flooded cellars and streets. Emergency teams and residents in areas with rising water levels protected themselves with sandbags.

Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance in Baden-Württemberg received a central sandbag depot order. The fire department mentioned that 10,000 sandbags should be brought in from a neighboring district. Approximately 1,300 people were advised to leave their homes on Friday evening due to imminent flood danger. The situation somewhat eased by Saturday morning, the fire department said, indicating that the water levels might slightly recede since much water had already drained into Lake Constance. A school was secured with sandbags as it was unclear if the Schussen would overflow at that site.

In Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance, efforts are being made to reduce the impact of the floods through central sandbag depots. The fire department in this Baden-Württemberg locality estimated that around 10,000 sandbags are required to assist. Firefighters, the Technical Relief Organization, and the Red Cross have mobilized hundreds of units to aid in the recovery process with a focus in the Lake Constance region. Due to the ongoing flood threat, around 1,300 residents were advised to leave their residences on Friday evening. While the circumstances improved slightly on Saturday morning, it was assumed that the water levels would dip a bit as much of the floodwater had drained into Lake Constance. A local school was provided with sandbags as its potential to be submerged in the Schussen was uncertain.

Outside Babenhausen, the district administration told around 100 people to prepare for evacuation. The active rescues by boats have already secured many people's safety.

In Weingarten, a nearby town to Ravensburg, the situation was more calm on Saturday morning. Nonetheless, a spokesperson couldn't give an all-clear message yet. They advised locals on Friday evening to stay with relatives and friends in areas not threatened by rising water levels and to avoid basements or lower floors. Wangen im Allgäu also issued a flood alert on Friday evening. Due to safety reasons, the Baden-Württemberg Garden Show remained closed on Saturday. "There's a lot of water in the river, and it's unclear how the situation will evolve further," the city representative said.

According to the German Weather Service (DWD), the highest warning level is in effect in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria on Saturday. The rainfall amounts during the night pretty much corresponded to the forecasts. In Sigmarszell, Lindau district, roughly 128 liters of rain fell per square meter within a day. In Ottobeuren, Unterallgäu district, and Wangen, Ravensburg district, it was around 108 liters. Kißlegg recorded around 105 liters, and Weiler-Simmerberg, Lindau district, approximately 104 liters.

Over in the north, the rising water levels of the rivers are causing concerns too. For example, the Danube and its tributaries have potential flooding issues.

Flooding is predicted in specific areas because it occurs statistically only once every 50 to 100 years. The Zusam river in the Augsburg district has already overflowed, flooded streets in Fischach, and published some cellars. However, there were no significant damages or injuries, as police documented in an early Saturday morning update. The Zusam reached level three out of four at the Fleinhausen gauge.

Preventively, the Günzburg district declared a state of emergency on Friday evening. Its purpose is to support potentially impacted cities and municipalities better. All emergency services within the district are needed.

In Günzburg, water levels for a century flood have already been exceeded, the responsible district administration mentioned. A century flood refers to a flood size achieved once every hundred years only.

The Donauwörth Water Management Authority warning spokeswoman suggested that water levels on the Günz, Mindel, and Schmutter rivers are anticipated on Saturday, followed by Donauwörth, where the level could reach on Sunday evening or at night on Monday. Campsites and recreational areas along the Günz, Kammel, and Mindel rivers should be cleared, as they may have a high concentration of visitors from the Legoland amusement park during the Pentecost holidays.

The Biberach district encouraged people in affected areas to prepare for their safety. There's a potential life-threatening hazard. They have to put together emergency kits and get the NINA alert app on their smartphones for prompt information - be sure it sounds off during an evacuation warning. "The phone should be switched on and not in airplane mode," urged the district's emergency unit in the particularly hazardous region of Ravensburg.

Flooding risks are also present in other regions with water rising in rivers due to excessive rainfall, which could potentially lead to even higher water levels. Hesse's regional agency for nature conservation, environment, and geology anticipates a flood along the Rhine and Neckar that occurs statistically only once every 20 years.

In eastern Germany, be ready for abundant rainfall and thunderstorms, as the German Weather Service (DWD) indicated. However, the storm is expected to impact Thuringia, Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt less harshly than initially anticipated.