Violent Weather Condition - Persistent rain causes South's extreme weekend with flooding.
Disastrous downpours during the weekend led to significant flooding in areas of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Countless public servants have worked non-stop since Friday night, constructing barrier walls, emptying water, confining risky areas, and delivering aid to those trapped at their immersed households. In Bavaria, it has been reported that one firefighter has passed away, and another is beyond reach, along with a female resident. While preparations are underway for incoming flooding waves on the Danube River, experts cite climate change as a likely factor increasing the frequency of severe weather events.
Monday will see Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Interior Minister Nancy Faeser headed to Reichertshofen, situated in Upper Bavaria, to check on emergency efforts being made there. Previously, Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck alongside Bavarian president Markus Söder and Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann visited regions with immediate needs on Sunday. Söder lauded those in the afflicted zones, "We're all In this together. We'll make it through this." Scholz and Habeck depicted their shock upon hearing about the loss of life of a firefighter in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm. Habeck emphasized that both volunteer and professional emergency personnel have risked their lives for the sake of the flood-struck residents, assuring, "He died preventive people from the flood." The firefighters were in a lifeboat when it capsized, with only the others making it to safety; the missing individual's body was found early Sunday.
A worker for an energy company experienced a powerful electric shock in Allershausen, within the Upper Bavarian region of Freising, as part of flood-related tasks. Police have issued a notice regarding the accident.
The Overcoming of this Situation Still Far
Crisis conditions also persist in Baden-Württemberg - there are instances of overflowing streets, like Meckenbeuren within the Bodenseekreis. During the previous evening, two passenger cars of an ICE derailed near Schwaebisch Gmuend due to a landslide. Though the passengers remained unharmed, they were transported to safety throughout the night on Sunday.
The Baden-Württemberg state leader, Minister President Winfried Kretschmann (Greens), urged resilience, communicating, "We're managing a very difficult situation we have not yet conquered." Kretschmann clarified his delay when visiting the afflicted area, citing the immediacy and potential impact of every extra hand in assisting, "I've opted to avoid immediate visits where every bit of help would be beneficial, but have continual updates and potentially plan a visit on Monday morning."
In Bavaria, still missing are a firefighter in Offingen and a woman in Schrobenhausen, likely being held captive in flooded cellars.
Relentless rainfall inundated the environment since Friday evening, and the earth couldn't absorb it any longer. Over 129 liters of rainfall swamped Bad Wöritshofen west of Munich during the inclement weather. This surpasses the average quota of 101 liters for an entire month. The devastation is undeterred - fire departments and other emergency services have been working around the clock, extracting water, isolating at-risk areas, and saving humans. There were several traffic accidents as a result of aquaplaning. The German Meteorological Service (DWD) issued no warning on Sunday evening and projected more rainfall ahead. Multiple cities declared a state of disaster on Sunday night, such as Landkreis Straubing-Bogen.
Further escalation along the Danube is predicted
In Bavaria, officials have conveyed that more than 3,000 residents have been forced from their houses due to flooding. The conditions within the Pfaffenhofen area and along the Danube worsened on Sunday. One fire department officer warned of a challenging, unprecedented flood, "which we've never before documented." Organizers from the Bavarian Interior Ministry concurred, adding, "Now all damages are being noted to obtain an overview and be prepared to mobilize help promptly."
ADAC Air Rescue Readies Additional Helicopters
The ADAC Air Rescue is also mobilizing for possible worsening conditions along the Danube. With ten helicopters available in Bavaria, four carrying winches, one supplementary rescue helicopter with a winch flew from Klinikum Augsburg on Sunday, aiding six people in the early hours of rescue. The ADAC expects operations for the flood response to continue throughout the week.
During the weekend, parts of several districts experienced power outages. "The power outages are happening near rivers and aren't causing major issues for the power grid," Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger (Free Voters) stated. "The network operators responsible for distribution are attempting to maintain the power supply by switching over to other lines. At this time, we do not anticipate widespread blackouts." Several areas had their power shut off as a precaution. Unfortunately, some people were unable to stay connected because their mobile phone batteries ran out.
Read also:
- The ongoing disaster in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg has kept Markus Söder, the Bavarian president, engaged since Friday night.
- Despite the continuous rain and flooding, the woman in Schrobenhausen remains missing, adding to the anxiety in Bavaria.
- The weekend's extreme weather conditions have resulted in a landslide in Schwaebisch Gmuend, causing the derailment of two passenger cars of an ICE train.
- Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, is scheduled to visit Reichertshofen on Monday, in support of the ongoing emergency efforts.
- The vigilant efforts of the fire department and other emergency services in Reichertshofen have led to the rescue of many trapped individuals.
- Robert Habeck, the vice chancellor, expressed his condolences for the loss of a firefighter in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, acknowledging their selfless sacrifice.
- The severe weather conditions in Baden-Württemberg have resulted in the overflowing of streets, including Meckenbeuren within the Bodenseekreis.
- The energy company worker in Allershausen suffered an electric shock during their flood-related tasks, leading to a police investigation.
- In Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, the fire department officer warned of an unprecedented flood wave, challenging the capabilities of all emergency services.
- Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann has indicated that more than 3,000 residents have been displaced due to the severe flooding.
- Baden-Württemberg's Minister President Winfried Kretschmann urged resilience and urged volunteers to continue their support in managing the crisis.
- The German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Interior Minister Nancy Faeser will also visit Baden-Württemberg to provide support and assistance to the flood-afflicted regions.
- The SPD-led government, led by Robert Habeck, is committing resources to confront the escalating disaster, emphasizing the importance of preparing for climate change.
- In Bavaria, the city of Winfried Kretschmann, Baden-Württemberg, has declared a state of disaster due to the devastating flooding and severe weather, with more rain predicted for the coming days.
