The flood scenario in southern Germany keeps deteriorating.
On a tour of the severely flood-stricken Augsburg region, Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder and Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (both CSU) gauged the predicament over the weekend. Söder urged citizens to adhere to the instructions of law enforcement authorities due to the expectation of more swelling water levels, the Interior Department stated.
In Augsburg's Fischach district, people were evacuated from their homes, with some required to be whisked away by helicopters. Downpours caused a reservoir and lagoon to overflow, resulting in mud cascading over the edges, and streets drowning. The Authorities in Augsburg recommended the residents of Fischach, Gessertshausen, and Langenneufnach to vacate designated zones and prevent basement garages and underground cellars.
Afternoons witnessed the evacuation of the district of Anhausen in Diedorf due to a dam breach. An official from the district office reported to the press that people were rescued from their homes submerged beneath water by helicopters.
The evenings saw residents of the municipalities Altenmünster, Batzenhofen, Gablingen, Achsheim, Eisenbrechtshofen, Biberbach, Allmannshofen, Hahnenweiler, and Nordendorf being counseled to prioritize their safety. Those unable to stay with relatives or friends were instructed to go to temporary shelters.
In addition to Augsburg, the districts of Aichach-Friedberg, Neu-Ulm, Freising, Pfaffenhofen, Donau-Ries, and Unterallgäu were announced to be in a catastrophic predicament on Saturday, while the district of Günzburg already declared so on Friday night. The Aichach-Friedberg district office claimed this action offered optimum organization and mobilization of help.
Munich's state capital registered an Isar water level of 301 cm, categorized as stage two of the flood advisory, requiring nearby areas and roads close to the Isar to be shut. In Upper Palatinate, the A3 motorway was swamped and closed for approximately 10 km between the exits Parsberg and Beratzhausen.
The Interior Ministry announced 520 THW responders were active on Saturday, harmonized with other forces for fortifying dikes and pumping water. The THW prepared to deploy further nationwide helpers.
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) expressed gratitude to the emergency teams operating round-the-clock to shield human lives. "My deepest respect goes to the volunteer and professional firefighters, the THW, other aid organizations, and the police," she remarked further.
Rail transit was disrupted in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg - on the routes Munich-Bregenz-Zurich and Stuttgart-Ulm-Augsburg-Munich, no trains were operational, as per the German Railways.
On the mountains, there was hefty snowfall - yet, a group of 26 hikers endeavored to ascend the Zugspitze and encountered issues, as broadcast by the Bavarian Broadcasting Corporation, sourced from the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Mountain Rescue Serve . After a report by "Münchner Merkur," the mountain rescue service averted all the affected climbers and transferred them to the Zugspitzplatt below the peak.
In eastern Baden-Württemberg, multiple major floods were sparked during the night on Saturday, according to the Land Environment Agency. Catastrophic floods could emerge in the Oberschwaben region and at eastern Neckar tributaries, as well as the Danube and Lake Constance tributaries.
The municipality of Meckenbeuren in the Bodenseekreis cautioned around 1,300 individuals confronting the flood risk to vacate their dwellings and residences.
The German Weather Service (DWD) announced inclement weather and long-enduring rain in the southern half of Germany and foretold intense thunderstorms with robust rainfall in Saxony.
In Switzerland, the eastern and inner parts of the nation experienced heavy rainfall, resulting in numerous floods. The flood situation remained tense, with further rainfall anticipated on Sunday.
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- The flood situation in Southern Germany, specifically in Augsburg, has become critical, necessitating urgent action from authorities.
- Joachim Herrmann, Germany's Interior Minister, joined Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (both CSU) to assess the flood-damaged areas in Augsburg recenty.
- In Fischach, a district located in Augsburg, residents faced a dangerous situation due to a flood, requiring evacuation by helicopters.
- Fearing further flooding, authorities in Bavaria urged citizens to follow the instructions of law enforcement officers, particularly in Augsburg's Fischach, Gessertshausen, and Langenneufnach districts.
- The CSU, Bavaria's ruling party, together with Germany's Ministry of the Interior, are closely monitoring the flood situation and coordinating emergency responses across the state.
- The district of Anhausen, located in Diedorf, was also affected by flooding due to a dam breach, necessitating swift evacuation by helicopters.
- In Augsburg, local residents were advised to seek temporary shelters or stay with relatives and friends to ensure their safety due to the continuous flooding in various municipalities.
- The Interior Ministry has mobilized over 500 THW responders to assist in bolstering dikes and pumping water, with additional helpers to be deployed nationwide as needed.
- Baden-Württemberg, a neighboring state to Bavaria, also faced flooding, leading to the disruption of rail transit services in the region.
- Markus Söder, the Bavarian Prime Minister, commended the efforts of emergency teams working tirelessly around the clock to protect human lives, extending thanks to volunteer and professional firefighters, THW personnel, the police, and other aid organizations.
- Heavy snowfall in the mountainous regions did not provide respite, as even ski resort towns like Garmisch-Partenkirchen experienced challenges with hikers attempting to ascend the Zugspitze, leading to mountain rescue operations.
