Passenger ship needs to be abandoned due to flood conditions.
Over the past few days, the rivers in southern Germany have seen a significant rise in water levels. The situation in Deggendorf, which is in Lower Bavaria, has become critical, prompting the evacuation of a passenger ship due to the intense flooding. Around 140 people had to be rescued and transported to safety using boats.
In Deggendorf, a large number of people were evacuated from a passenger ship because of the flooding in the Danube River. According to a spokeswoman for the district administration, the ship could not continue its journey due to the flood. The affected passengers were mostly elderly individuals, but there weren't any reported medical emergencies on board as of yet. Boats were deployed to take them to safety.
The disaster alert was declared in the district on Monday, as mentioned by Landrat Bernd Sibler on Instagram. This move is aimed at improving the coordination of measures being taken. On Monday morning, the dikes in Niederalteich and Winzer were reinforced with sandbags.
The water level in the Danube River has been increasing steadily. The Bavarian Flood Information Service anticipates that the Danube will carry as much water throughout its course, from Regensburg to Passau, as it did during the flood of 2002. One example of this can be seen when the Isar merges with the Danube in Deggendorf, as shared by a spokesperson for the service.
Water level at 7.77 meters
The Danube is the second longest river in Europe, spanning approximately 2850 kilometers in length. A water level of 10.80 meters was recorded in Passau on August 13, 2002. The current level at the same location was 7.77 meters on Monday morning, with a potential for further increases. On Tuesday, a maximum of 5.80 meters was reported. The Flood Information Service believes the peak of the flood wave from Regensburg to Passau will occur in the near future.
The area of Neu-Ulm could witness a rise to alert level 4, while Gunzburg is at level 3. The alert level in Regensburg has already been declared. The water level at the Eiserne Brücke gauge stood at 5.98 meters in the morning, while on Tuesday morning it was approximately 2.70 meters. The most recent major floods that were recorded took place on June 4, 2013, and August 14, 2002, at 6.82 meters and 6.60 meters, respectively.
