Violent Weather Event - Severe flooding continues in southern Germany.
The floodwaters have carried away vehicles, homes, fields, and streets, leaving them submerged under water. Areas in South Germany are particularly affected, specifically those along the Danube in Bavaria.
In response to the disaster, several districts and cities, including Passau and Regensburg, have declared a state of emergency. This measure will allow rescue efforts to be streamlined. In Allgäu, a 57-year-old woman lost her life when her car got carried away by the floodwaters, bringing the known death toll to five. There are still several people who have not been found.
The nightmare weather is expected to improve. According to the German Weather Service (DWD), heavy rainfall is unlikely in the affected regions. Although there may be showers and thunderstorms in the areas hit by the floods, these will not be severe.
Flood gauges along the Danube are forecasting the highest water levels yet, but these are projected to be below previous records. The flood alert service anticipates that the entire Danube route in Austria will remain closed for shipping due to the floods.
Residents in Passau, where the Danube, Inn, and Ilz rivers meet, are on edge as the city is prone to frequent flooding. Regensburg, located downstream, is also feeling the brunt of the floods.
Regensburg's mayor, Gertrud Maltz-Schwarzfischer, commented, "We have about one or two more days of real tension, real concern. Although the water level is smaller than in previous floods, the water is flowing more slowly." Evacuation measures were taken on Monday evening for a street on the Danube as the ground beneath them is swollen and the protective walls are at risk of sliding off.
A fortunate turn of events occurred on Monday when a missing 32-year-old woman was identified using a search drone and pulled to safety. She had been trapped in a flooded forest near Neu-Ulm, staying afloat by resting on a tree branch for over two and a half days above the water. When rescuers eventually found her, the water level was still chest-high beneath the tree.
Preliminary data suggests that in regions across South Germany, rainfall this week has been equivalent to what is observed every 50 to 100 years. Meteorologist Thomas Deutschländer from the DWD explained, "That's very unusual but not completely surprising." Around 20-30 weather stations recorded these uncharacteristically high rainfall readings, from an area northeast of Augsburg to almost the Bodensee. Some of the records referred to rainfall over one day, while others covered a three-day period.
In Baden-Württemberg, the flood situation is improving. Clean-up tasks are underway. A spokesperson from an affected city in Ebersbach an der Fils said, "We're still a long way from normalcy," as residents continued shifting debris from roads, pumping out cellars, and disposing of untreated sewage.
Thousands of volunteers are still working to curb the flood damage. They have spent their energy tirelessly to rescue residents from flooded homes. Meanwhile, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier thanked these tireless helpers from Berlin: "The priority right now is to save lives. Those affected must be helped with the rebuilding." The Greens' Federal Economics Minister, Robert Habeck, shared a similar sentiment, promising substantial assistance for the recovery.
Many trade unions in Germany have urged for increased funding into flood protection. Habeck noted that the recent flooding is occurring more frequently in various regions, indicating the impact of climate change. He stated, "We can't reverse time, but I believe that the horrific events of these days will prompt a broader conversation about how seriously we take climate protection."
