Severe weather event: Intense storm approaching - Two dams collapse in the Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm region.
In Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, a district in Upper Bavaria, two dams gave way on a Sunday. The incident took place within the jurisdiction of Baar-Ebenhausen, a village near the River Paar, a tributary of the Danube. An official from the local administration disclosed the facts.
The aftermath saw threats of further flooding and evacuations were underway. Attempting to fix the damaged dams at present was not feasible as priority was given to saving lives. Over 5,000 emergency responders, consisting of volunteers and professionals, were deployed to battle the floods and assist with evacuations.
These incidents occurred just before Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) visited nearby Reichershofen alongside Minister President Markus Söder and State Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU). As they were traveling to Pfaffenhofen, they received news of a firefighter's tragic death during a rescue operation in the night. Responding to the incident, Habeck expressed deep sorrow, stating, "As I make my way to Pfaffenhofen, I hear of the death of a firefighter. It's tragic; he was attempting to save people from the flood." Söder too shared his sentiments, mentioning, "The firefighter lost his life trying to help people in this devastating flood."
According to the responsible district fire chief, Pfaffenhofen is facing an extraordinary flood. Referred to as an 'HQextrem,' this renowned flood is unpredictable and is something never seen before in recorded history. "The market of Reichertshofen is being flooded now. We're powerless to intervene."
The HQextrem surpasses the HQ100, a term used to signify a specific magnitude measured by computers. It represents a flood with a once-in-a-century probability of occurrence.
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In response to the intense storm, the County of Pfaffenhofen declared a state of emergency. Markus Söder, the Minister President of Bavaria, expressed concern about the weather conditions in Pfaffenhofen. The flooding from the storm caused damage to buildings and infrastructure in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm. The Danube, which flows nearby, was also affected by the floods. The German government, led by Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, pledged support to the affected areas. The communities of Baar-Ebenhausen and Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm were particularly hard hit by the floods. Despite the efforts of over 5,000 emergency responders, the floodwaters continued to rise, threatening more damage.
