Heavy rain causes flooding in certain areas. - Two individuals pass away amidst flood cleanup efforts.
Following a week full of heart-wrenching pictures of flooded streets, toppled houses, and disappeared vehicles, the results of the floods in Baden-Württemberg are starting to reveal themselves. Reports of at least two casualties have surfaced. The bodies of a man and his mom were discovered yesterday while clearing debris in a Schorndorf home. Previously, two individuals had been recovered in Bavaria.
Residents and response teams have already begun the cleanup efforts in numerous areas. Many districts released cautionary statements throughout the night. Per the Bodenseekreis administration, the status was gradually enhancing. It was asserted that the water levels of some rivers would be subsiding now since less precipitation had fallen than initially speculated. A global school and the nearby sports field were set to be cleared using pumps. Schools were anticipated to be in operation once more in the middle of the week - albeit partially. Heidelberg also anticipated a decline in Neckar water levels.
Nevertheless, two existences were lost in the Southwest during the floods. Police reports state that a 58-year-old homeowner and his 84-year-old mother were found dead in Schorndorf's empty cellar on Sunday night while attempting to pump water. What transpired remains a mystery up until now. The exact cause of death is unknown.
The Deutsche Wetterdienst (DWD) lifted their persistent rain alerts statewide in Baden-Württemberg in the evening. As per a DWD meteorologist, "The rain scenario has ceased." Calmness settled in during the night, and a high-pressure system propagated. The rain also halted in Allgäu.
Strobl Updates: "Clench Your Teeth"
Despite days of continuous rainfall, the flood scenario in Baden-Württemberg and regions of Stuttgart, Oberschwaben, and Allgäu was firm on Monday morning. Minister of the Interior Thomas Strobl (CDU) reviewed the state's situation at noon, declaring, "The situation remains tense statically." During his visit to Meckenbeuren (Bodenseekreis), one of the areas hardest hit, he advised, "We must hold on tighter."
Strobl planned to assess the status in Ebersbach an der Fils (Göppingen district) in the evening. Massive flooding was recorded in Ebersbach as well.
Kretschmann on the situation in the Southwest: "We're Going to Get Used To This"
Baden-Württemberg Premier Winfried Kretschmann conveyed that the citizens of the Southwest would have to adjust to more regularized flood situations. Speaking in Meckenbeuren, the Green politician stated, "We have to assume that this will occur more frequently." This is simply attributable to climate change. Compared to Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg has emerged from the incident with minimal damage.
Lifting of Warnings on Rems and Murr
In the night, Rems-Murr-Kreis issued a preliminary disaster warning due to extreme rainfall. Through this first stage of the disaster warning, the mobilization of emergency services and the deployment of disaster aid volunteers were achieved. Warnings followed throughout the day.
District Administrator Richard Sigel admitted that the district faced calamitous damage. Because of the cleanup exertions, bypasses must continue to remain in position.
Apocalyptic scenes in Rudersberg
Photos show messy lumps, residents in rubber boots in desperate situations, and massive automobiles hit by the water like light toys. Homes were damaged, leaving piles of debris on the streets. Heavy objects were swept away. One car ended up on a well, while another was placed on railroad tracks. Items from houses littered the streets in muddy areas.
The mayor of Schorndorf, Bernd Hornikel, detailed astounding flood night scenes. The floods burst in with such tremendous force in his area that fire colossal had to be rescued. The seven fire department vehicles dispatched to Schorndorf arrived, but only one reached the location - all others were stuck in the water. The comrades had to seek refuge on the roof of the car until they were rescued.
A sound barrier dam restrains floodwater
In Ebersbach an der Fils to the southeast of Stuttgart, water masses breached a noise barrier wall on the B10, submerging the roads. Firefighters extracted more than eleven individuals trapped by the floodwaters. Others had managed to defend themselves or with help via their neighbors, noted a Göppingen district spokesperson on Monday evening. Roads flooded, residences were evacuated. Despite this, as of the latest record, no severe injuries have been reported.
In the Ostalbkreis, the morning saw worsening high water conditions. People were evacuated from some parts of Leinzell, Heuchlingen, and Göggingen during the night to avoid potential floods, as a representative from the crisis management team explained. Täferrot also experienced evacuations temporarily. Later, the crisis management team deemed the high water situation no longer an extreme flood event but a once-in-a-century flood. The all-clear has not yet been given. The spokeswoman added, "This is a clear sign of improvement."
A similar situation unfolded in the neighboring district of Ludwigsburg, where authorities had initially predicted an additional rise in water levels from the Rems and Murr. "The water levels are dropping," the district office confirmed later. Two nursing homes in Steinheim an der Murr were briefly evacuated.
Meanwhile, in Esslingen am Neckar, a makeshift dam helped to prevent flooding in certain areas of the old town. A total of approximately 1500 tons of rocks and sand were piled up in front of the so-called Wasserhaus on a canal during the night and early morning. Esslingen reported that the dam is secure.
Railway transportation faced interruptions and cancellations as well. Trains headed from Munich to Stuttgart were unable to reach their final destination. Trains coming from Mannheim or Frankfurt ended in Stuttgart, a railway company representative shared. The spokesperson suggested avoiding traveling to the flood-impacted regions in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg and delaying non-essential journeys. Furthermore, passengers should anticipate that the remaining trains would be exceedingly crowded.
Read also:
- Prior to their discovery, the bodies of a man and his mother were found in a flooded basement in Schorndorf, following days of heavy rain and flooding in the Lake Constance district of Germany.
- Response teams and residents in various areas, including Stuttgart, have begun the cleanup process, with some districts issuing cautionary statements throughout the night.
- The water levels of certain rivers, such as the Neckar, are expected to subside as less precipitation has fallen than initially anticipated.
- In Meckenbeuren, a town in the Bodenseekreis, Minister of the Interior Thomas Strobl cautioned residents to "hold on tighter" as the flood situation remains tense.
- Baden-Württemberg Premier Winfried Kretschmann acknowledged the need for people in the Southwest to become accustomed to more frequent flood situations due to climate change.
- In the Rems-Murr-Kreis, a preliminary disaster warning was issued due to extreme rainfall, and authorities reported significant damage in Ebersbach an der Fils, where roads were flooded.
- Photos from the town of Rudersberg show the devastating effects of the floods, with damaged homes, debris-strewn streets, and vehicles swept away by the water.
- Firefighters in Ebersbach an der Fils had to rescue their comrades from their vehicles, which were stuck in the floodwaters, highlighting the severity of the situation.
- A sound barrier dam was breached in Ebersbach an der Fils, resulting in flooded roads and evacuations, yet no severe injuries have been reported.
- In the Ostalbkreis, people were evacuated from certain areas to avoid potential floods, with high-water conditions persisting in some parts of the district.
- The crisis management team in Ludwigsburg reported that water levels are dropping and withdrawals from nursing homes were temporarily necessary, but the all-clear has not been given.
- A makeshift dam in Esslingen am Neckar helped prevent flooding in certain areas of the old town, with approximately 1500 tons of rocks and sand used to build the barrier.
