Flood crisis escalates in Germany, Bavaria: Danube surpasses critical levels

The flood situation in Germany remains critical, particularly around the Danube. In Passau, the water level is rising faster than anticipated.

The flood situation in some regions of Bavaria remains critical. The Danube, especially, carries a significant amount of water. In Passau, the expected maximum levels have been adjusted. Instead of 31 feet, the Bavarian Flood Information Service now expects a water level of 32 feet. On Tuesday at 7:30 am (GMT), the water level was 31.7 feet.

Currently, in Passau, water has already inundated part of the city. Yesterday, the old town was closed to traffic. Residents secured their homes with sandbags, and rescuers are navigating by boat. Mayor Jürgen Dupper warned of the dangers.

In Regensburg, where a state of emergency has been declared, 200 people had to leave their homes late Monday evening. Cleanup work is currently underway in the Rosenheim district, which is also under a state of emergency. According to district authorities, water mixed with oil has entered many basements. Rescue services report that 300-400 homes will be affected by flooding in the Raubling municipality alone. As the flood slowly calms and the water recedes, people are no longer urgently asked to stay home.

In seven Bavarian districts, many schools cancelled classes on Tuesday due to high water levels.

According to Baden-Württemberg's Minister of the Interior, Thomas Strobl, the partially dramatic flood situation is now under control. "We are well organized and capable of assisting in civil protection in Baden-Württemberg," said the CDU politician in Ebersbach an der Fils (Göppingen district). Masses of water had flooded the streets there.

The water level in most rivers and tributaries in southwestern Germany is slowly falling. Only in major rivers, such as the Danube and the Rhine, does the water level continue to rise in some areas, according to the flood forecast centre on Monday evening. However, no further critical levels are expected to be exceeded.

The water level continues to rise on the Danube in the Sigmaringen district downstream and in Lake Constance, the High Rhine, and the Upper Rhine. However, near Karlsruhe, another peak water level of 27 feet, recorded on Sunday, is not expected to be exceeded again. The water level is also dropping on the Neckar River.

Rescue services reported five fatalities from the flood: three in Bavaria and two in Baden-Württemberg. The search continues for a 22-year-old rescuer who is believed to have drowned during a rescue mission on Saturday night in Offingen, on the border between Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.

Ongoing storms are disrupting railway connections in southern Germany. Some routes are closed due to flooding. In long-distance traffic, the routes between Ulm and Augsburg, Donauwörth and Augsburg, Buchloe and Memmingen, and the Ulm—Memmingen—Kempten route are impassable. There are also disruptions on the Munich—Berlin route and other routes along the Danube. German railways are warning of overcrowded trains.