On Austria's border

Floods: 1300 people told to leave their homes

Saturday is a day of trepidation: Heavy flooding could occur in many communities along the rivers in southern Germany, which are burdened by continuous rain.

(Bild: Screenshot/Extremwetter.tv)

Major alert in southern Germany: in many communities along the rivers affected by continuous rainfall, there could be severe flooding in the next few hours. Around 1,300 people have been advised to leave their homes (see video above). The focus is on the Lake Constance region in the extended border area with Vorarlberg.

According to experts, an entire month's worth of rain will fall over the next 48 hours, up to 150 liters per square meter, especially from Lake Constance via Bavaria to the edges of Thuringia and Saxony. On Friday evening, some municipalities asked their residents to avoid basements or to sleep somewhere else for a few days. Alternatively, there are shelters. 

Tense situation
It was not an evacuation, but a recommendation, said a spokeswoman for the municipality of Oberschwaben in Baden-Württemberg. According to the statement, it was expected that extreme flooding could occur, particularly on the Schussen river. "We are still hoping that the weather situation will ease somewhat and that the flood levels will be less dramatic than predicted," said Mayor Georg Schellinger. 

On Saturday, it's a case of trepidation: There could be severe flooding in many communities along the rivers in southern Germany that have been affected by continuous rain.

(Bild: Screenshot/Extremwetter.tv)

Alarm on the border with Austria
Not far away in Weingarten near Ravensburg, just over 40 kilometers from the border with Austria (Vorarlberg), residents of large parts of the town should avoid the basements and under no circumstances sleep in the cellar. They have also been advised to stay overnight at best with relatives and friends outside the areas at risk from rising water levels.

"Unfortunately, it is currently unclear how quickly the water levels will continue to rise. Particular caution is therefore required," the emergency services said. According to the district of Ravensburg, it could not be ruled out that individual towns or municipalities might decide to evacuate.

Roads and underpasses flooded
In Lindau on Lake Constance, right on the border with Vorarlberg, the first streets and underpasses were already flooded on Friday evening and city bus services had to be suspended. The fire department and technical relief services were in constant operation, said a spokeswoman for the town. Residents had to be evacuated from an apartment building as there was a possibility of a short circuit due to the ingress of water.

A district in Bavaria had already declared a state of emergency on Friday evening - also as a precautionary measure. In the Günzburg region, the aim was to provide better support to the potentially affected towns and communities, the district administration office announced. This requires emergency services from the entire district. Camping and leisure sites on the Günz, Kammel and Mindel rivers should be evacuated - many guests of the Legoland theme park are likely to be staying here during the Whitsun vacations.

There is a potential danger to life
Further west along the Danube, for example in Neu-Ulm and its tributaries, flooding is also expected in places, which statistically only occurs every 50 to 100 years and is comparatively severe. In the district of Biberach, for example, people in affected areas have been called upon to pay attention to their safety. There is a potential danger to life. They should prepare emergency luggage.

Fears in eastern Germany too
Rainfall has also caused water levels in rivers to rise in other regions - and further increases are expected. According to the regional State Office for Nature Conservation, Environment and Geology, flooding on the Rhine and Neckar in Hesse is statistically only possible every 20 years. According to the German Weather Service (DWD), people in eastern Germany can expect a lot of rain, including thunderstorms in some places.