Danube in Passau currently at a level just below ten meters.

The Danube River in Passau is at a level slightly below ten meters.

The Danube river in Passau is just centimeters away from reaching the 10-meter mark. At noon, the flood emergency service (HND) indicated that the water level was at 9.95 meters. This exceeded their predicted level for the afternoon by 45 centimeters. Once the river reaches 8.50 meters, flooding will become more significant in populated areas. This level was already seen in Passau three hours earlier.

At 12:06, the weather service announce a warning for rain over southern Germany. Robert Hausen, a meteorologist from DWD in Offenbach, mentioned that most parts of the flooded areas can anticipate dry weather. Occasional light showers and thunderstorms could happen, but they won't be too heavy. This is predicted to last until Thursday. Northern and northwestern regions will experience temperatures below 20 degrees, which is normal for the season. Elsewhere, temperatures between 21 and 26 degrees can be expected. It might get colder than 10 degrees at night in some places. By the weekend, rainfall is expected to increase again. Thunderstorms are forecasted in the southern parts, but not to the extent seen in the previous days. At the moment, it's unclear how much the water levels will have reduced by then.

According to the Bavarian flood warning service, the overall situation is tense due to the high water levels. However, there are no more predictions of heavy rainfall that could cause additional flooding. The water levels are anticipated to lower considerably. The main focus is on the Danube. The current situation in the Danube area is improving as the tributary water levels are significantly decreasing. The peak of the flood in Ingolstadt is expected to be about 0.5 meters below the highest warning level four, which should occur in the evening. In Kelheim, minor increases within warning level four are expected. In Passau, the Danube level expected to be below the 2002 flood peak, which was earlier predicted. However, high water levels are still on the cards for the Danube section between Kelheim and Passau until Wednesday.

The authorities have concluded the death toll due to flooding in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg has increased to five. In Markt Rettenbach, Bavaria, a woman drove her car off the road into the water on Monday, and her body was found the next day. A doctor confirmed her death. The woman never heeded a warning sign and tried to cross a flooded state road when her car slid into a meadow, where the water had reached such a height that the vehicle was instantly engulfed by the water. Just before this, authorities had informed of four deaths related to flooding.

The A9 highway in Upper Bavaria, which was previously partially blocked due to a dam breach, is now open for traffic in both directions. The control station set up on Monday, blocking traffic toward Munich, was dismantled. All lanes are now clear on the stretch between Ingolstadt-South and Langenbruck. Some other roads in the region, such as the B16 between Manching and Ernsgaden, still remain closed due to flooding.

10:40: Navigation halted on Middle and Upper Rhine due to flooding

Due to heavy downpours, the Rhine, Germany's key waterway, is inaccessible in several areas. A spokesperson for the Waterways and Shipping Authority Rhine (WSA) told Reuters, "Shipping on the Middle and Upper Rhine has been suspended." Earlier in the week, only the Upper Rhine had been affected in areas such as Maxau, Mannheim, and Worms. Now, regions like Mainz and Bingen in the Middle Rhine are also impacted. "Numerous vessels have already docked or are in the ports," said the rep. "They are waiting for the water levels to go down at the control points again." Peak water levels may still occur today or this evening. The area around Bingen could be accessible again on Thursday. It will take several days with suspended shipping. These closures are to prevent bank damage caused by the vessels' waves, which can flood cellars when combined with flooding. The units create waves that can push water onto the banks.

10:20: Airlines suffering as multiple lines get disrupted in South Germany

The flooding situation in parts of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria has left the Deutsche Bahn unable to operate several lines in both local and long-distance services. Deutsche Bahn has acknowledged disruptions on four lines: a stretch between Stuttgart-Ulm-Augsburg-Munich on the Stuttgart-Ulm-Augsburg-Munich line, a section between Donauwörth and Augsburg on the Nuremberg-Donauwörth-Augsburg-Munich line, a section between Buchloe and Memmingen on the Munich-Memmingen-Lindau line, and the entire Ulm-Memmingen-Kempten line. Munich is inaccessible from the west and north at the moment. However, the railway advises against traveling to South Germany. Additional cancellations and delays can be found on these lines: Munich-Nuremberg-Erfurt-Berlin, Karlsruhe-Stuttgart-Ulm, Augsburg-Munich, Stuttgart-Mannheim-Frankfurt(M), Munich-Lindau-Bregenz-Zurich, Karlsruhe-Stuttgart-Crailsheim-Nuremberg, Augsburg-Kempten(Allgäu)-Oberstdorf, and Nuremberg-Würzburg.

10:06: Ongoing search for missing firefighter with drones and helicopters

The search for a missing firefighter in Swabia continues, as per police information, not directly in the water for the time being. The strong currents make a water search too dangerous for emergency services. Drones and a helicopter will be used for the search from land and air. The firefighter is presumed dead. The 22-year-old is believed to have drowned. He had been out in a boat of the DLRG water rescue near the border with Baden-Württemberg in the night from Sunday to Monday. The boat with five emergency service personnel on board capsized in powerful currents. Four personnel aged between 24 and 70 were able to make it safely to land, unharmed.

09:38: Update: Search for missing firefighter in progress

A missing firefighter in the Swabian floods is still being sought. The police have revised their earlier statement on the discontinuation of the search (see entry at 06:22 a.m.). The 22-year-old may have drowned, as previously indicated by a police spokesperson. The young man had been operating a boat of the DLRG water rescue near the border with Baden-Württemberg. The boat with five emergency service personnel on board capsized in strong currents. The four other emergency service staff members, ranging from 24 to 70 years old, were able to reach land safely and sustained no injuries.

08:45: Baden-Württemberg Mayor warns against flood tourism: "Don't look, just see what's happening"

Regensburg's mayor has cautioned against flood tourism following the floods in Swabia. The spokesperson calls on people not to stare at the disaster but to witness it instead. The 22-year-old firefighter in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg is still missing in floodwaters. If he's deceased, he'll be the fifth recorded casualty. The young man had been in a boat of the DLRG water rescue near the border between the two states on Sunday night. The boat, carrying five emergency workers, sank in strong currents. Nonetheless, four people aged 24-70 managed to land safely and were unaffected.

The mayor of the flooded city of Regensburg, Gertrud Maltz-Schwarzfischer, urges against flood tourism. "There are already plenty of tourists, but now the locals are also moving," says Maltz-Schwarzfischer on Bavarian Radio. Visitors should avoid bridges, as helpers may be on them. For the mayor, the night in Regensburg was tense as high groundwater and unstable soil threatened evacuations. The peak of the flood was reached at night, she hopes that the water levels will decrease during the day. It's uncertain if the dams and protective measures can hold, she adds. "We're dealing with a different situation than, say, in 2013 since we have extremely high water levels and hence the soil becomes unstable."

8:25 Expected in the afternoon: Passau on edge - "Danube level at 9.54 meters"

The situation in Passau in Lower Bavaria is particularly dramatic. The city expected to reach its peak with a level of 9.50 meters in the afternoon is now already above that mark. Reporter Felix Balß of ntv confirms this.

7:48 Bavarian Fire Brigade Association: Deployment unparalleled

The fire brigades in Bavaria are needed more than ever due to the flood, according to the Bavarian Fire Brigade Association. "This is essentially unparalleled in terms of the severity and scope and on this scale," says association chairman Johann Eitzenberger to Süddeutsche Zeitung. "We have 30,000 volunteer firefighters in service every day, trying to prevent and minimize damage where possible." The current situation appears to be under control, but there's no guarantee of what will come next, says Eitzenberger. "We will also need specialized skills for a long time, such as dealing with oil from heating systems."

7:28 Video: Danube dams and protective walls at risk of breaking

With massive water masses, the Danube exerts pressure on dams and additional protective walls in southern Germany. Some dikes are now in danger of breaking under the intense pressure. The Passau city centre is submerged and cut off.

6:55 Ruins of Falkenstein Castle slide away - Residents evacuated

Sections of the Falkenstein Castle in Upper Bavaria have detached due to the persistent rain. Below the castle, 50 residents were evacuated by the Rosenheim district. The Falkenstein Castle in Flintsbach is a popular hiking destination. The main castle Falkenstein was built around 1300, while the outer castle was constructed in the 15th and 16th centuries. After a major expansion phase in the 16th and 17th centuries, the complex was destroyed by fires at the end of the 18th century. It is part of the Petersberg historical monument complex along with the Roman St. Peter's Church and the adjacent Mesner House. The extent of the damage to the ruin is not known.

6:22 Rescuers no longer actively looking for missing firefighter

A missing firefighter in the Swabian flooded area will no longer be actively searched for. According to a police spokesman, the 22-year-old may have drowned. He'll likely be found when the water recedes. The young man had been out with a DLRG (German Life Saving Association) rescue boat in Offingen near the Baden-Württemberg border. The boat, manned by five rescue personnel aged from 24 to 70, capsized in strong currents. Four rescue personnel safely made it to land.

Note: The police have recently stated that they will keep searching for the missing firefighter (see entry at 9:38 am).

6:03 Stations record "100-year rainfall"

In several regions of South Germany, as much rain has fallen in the past few days as only every 50 to 100 years. Meteorologist Thomas Deutschländer from the German Meteorological Service explains, "That's quite special, but not completely unknown." "Everything is still preliminary, we need to check the records," Deutschländer adds. "Sometimes stations fail or the measurements are too low." "Usually there will be a little more coming, we're dealing with preliminary data right now."

5:33 Danube in Passau surpasses nine-meter level

The water level of the Danube in Passau exceeded the nine-meter mark in the wee hours of Tuesday. The Hochwassernachrichtendienst (flood warning service) reports a water level of 9.27 meters at 3 am. On Monday evening, the gauge reading was 8.83 meters. In line with HND predictions, the peak is expected to be reached at noon on Tuesday, with 9.50 meters. The Passau old town was closed to traffic on Monday due to the flood. From a water level of 8.50 meters onwards, inhabited areas will be flooded to a greater extent. This level was reached in Passau on Monday afternoon.

Amidst deteriorating flood conditions, 200 people residing in the city center of Regensburg have been instructed to vacate their homes. The authorities issued the warning due to the escalating groundwater pressure along Werftstraße, which poses an imminent threat to the flood mitigation mechanisms. Consequently, the decision was made to evacuate the entire street.

2:47 There's been a slight improvement in Rosenheim's flood situation. The district made this announcement, while schools and kindergartens in the affected areas will remain closed on Tuesday. Raubling and Rohrdorf were among the areas experiencing evacuations, though the exact number of people affected initially remained uncertain. Earlier, the district had declared a disaster. Over 1000 emergency responders from the fire department and the Technical Relief Organization were in place, the district stated. Additionally, the German Meteorological Service shared that the rainfall across Bavaria was anticipated to decrease by night until Tuesday.

1:28 The German Meteorological Service has revoked all weather warnings for Germany. They made this announcement as the torrential downpours over the past few days caused the water levels to rise significantly, particularly in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Numerous villages were flooded and dams had broken. At least four casualties have been reported due to the floods so far. Both Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg remained tense on Monday.

0:12 Most water levels in the southwest region are decreasing once again. However, some rivers like the Danube and the Rhine still have surging water levels in certain areas, according to the Flood Forecasting Center. There's no likelihood of any critical values being breached, as per a spokesperson. At the Danube from the Hundersingen gauge in the district of Sigmaringen onward, and at Lake Constance, Upper Rhine, and Upper Rhine, the water is still rising. Peak levels inches above 8.29 meters at the Maxau gauge near Karlsruhe should not be surpassed again. The Neckar trend is on the decline.

22:53 The Landkreis Rosenheim in Upper Bavaria requested residents to remain indoors in light of the flood. "There is an imminent danger to life and limb," stated the authority. People must avoid spending time outside, keep a safe distance from all open bodies of water, and refrain from interfering with rescue services. Classes will be canceled in various municipalities: Brannenburg, Raubling, Rohrdorf, Oberaudorf, Kiefersfelden, Nussdorf, Neubeuern, Bad Feilnbach, and Flintsbach. The State Education Authority Rosenheim will update the schools in the affected areas. Meanwhile, kindergartens in these towns will also be closed.

21:47 Parts of Burg Falkenstein in Flintsbach, Rosenheim slid owing to the torrential rain. According to Rosenheim district administration, 50 residents residing below the castle will be evacuated.

21:08 Germany's most extensive camping site, situated in Wesel, North Rhine-Westphalia, is required to be cleared within the next 24 hours. The operators of the Grav-Island disclosed this information as rising water levels in nearby rivers and waters threatened the campground. The Grav-Island is the largest camping site in Germany catering to 5,000 permanent campers.

20:53 Regensburg's Werftstraße is being evacuated because the land is becoming increasingly waterlogged due to the high groundwater level. Installed flood protection measures could fail and flood the street. About 200 people must vacate the area by 21:00.

For previous updates, read here.