Temper tantrum in the skies: severe weather system causes chaos - South experiences rising floodwaters, causing residents to prepare
In several towns bordering rivers in South Germany, there's a high risk of severe flooding occurring today. Although there haven't been any massive floods in the night, experts predict a hundred-year flood in many areas.
A significant portion of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria are at risk, especially the Lake Constance region. In the town of Meckenbeuren, Baden-Württemberg, roughly 1,300 residents have been recommended to leave their homes due to the expected heavy flooding on the River Schussen. Other regions have requested residents to steer clear of basements and consider sleeping elsewhere for a short while.
In Weingarten, a town near Ravensburg, residents were instructed not to use their basements and not to sleep there. The local fire department also recommended staying with relatives or friends in safe areas. "We can't determine the rate at which the water levels will increase. Therefore, great caution is necessary!" stated the Fire Department's website. The possibility of evacuations couldn't be ruled out.
Streets and underpasses in Lindau am Bodensee were flooded, and the city bus service was temporarily shut down. The fire department and the Technical Relief Organization remained operational. In one multi-family house, the inhabitants had to be evacuated because of the threat of a short circuit due to the water seeping in.
128 liters of rain per square meter in 24 hours in some parts of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. The German Weather Service has issued the highest alert level in several areas. Swabian Sigmarszell in the Lindau district, Ottobeuren in the Unterallgäu district, Wangen in the Ravensburg district, and Kißlegg witnessed approximately 128, 108, 105, and 104 liters of rainfall, respectively.
Flood-related concerns have arisen in other regions, including the Danube and its tributaries. Flooding is anticipated as these events usually occur only every 50 to 100 years. The Zusam river in the Augsburg district has already overflowed, causing flooded streets and some cellars. Though no major damage or injuries have been reported, the river reached level three of four at the Pegel Fleinhausen.
The Zusam area's district declared a disaster in order to provide better assistance to potentially impacted cities and villages. The district's emergency response teams would be needed. Camping and recreational sites along the rivers Günz, Kammel, and Mindel should be vacated - many vacationers might be staying there during the Pentecost holidays. "We treat this situation seriously," said the District Administrator Hans Reichhart (CSU). "We'd like to make effective use of the time we have left until the flood reaches the Günzburg district."
In the Biberach district, citizens in vulnerable areas were advised to focus on their safety. Potential threats were present. They should prepare an emergency kit and install the NINA warning app on their mobile phones, set up to sound an alarm when an evacuation order is issued. "To ensure this works, the phone must be turned on and not in flight mode," noted the district administration of the particularly affected Ravensburg area.
Flood risk is associated with regions in Hesse, too, as the Rhine and Neckar rivers might experience flooding that occurs once every 20 years, according to the regional environmental conservation office. In Eastern Germany, people must prepare for a lot of rain and, at times, thunderstorms. The storm, however, is suspected to affect Thuringia, Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt less severely than initially anticipated.
