Situation remains critical

Floods: Danube breaks 9-meter mark in Passau

Large parts of southern Germany are flooded

(Bild: APA Pool/dpa/Ute Wessels)

The flood situation remains critical in parts of Bavaria, and water levels are also rising in Austria. A state of emergency was declared in the Bavarian district of Rosenheim and evacuations were carried out in some places. 

According to the German Weather Service (DWD), the rainfall is expected to ease on Tuesday after more heavy rainfall during the night. In Regensburg, around 200 people had to leave their homes late in the evening. The affected street is located in the city center directly on the Danube.

The subsoil there had softened considerably due to the high groundwater level and there was a risk that the flood protection elements would fail and the street would be flooded.

In eastern Austria, heavy rainfall swept across the country - even overnight. Cellars and streets were flooded and underpasses had to be cleared of water. In Lower Austria, hundreds of fire departments were called out. However, the situation is under control everywhere, fire department spokesman Klaus Stebal told ORF on Tuesday. 

Citizens should stay at home
In Bavaria, however, the situation remains critical. On Monday evening, the district of Rosenheim called on citizens to stay at home. "There is an acute danger to life and limb", the authorities said in a statement. By Tuesday night, the situation had eased slightly. Schools and kindergartens in the affected communities are to remain closed on Tuesday. In seven Bavarian districts, classes will be canceled at numerous schools on Tuesday due to the flood situation.

Danube breaks nine-meter mark
In Passau, the water level of the Danube exceeded the nine-meter mark on Tuesday night. At 3 a.m., the Flood Information Service (HND) reported a water level of 9.27 meters - and forecast the peak for Tuesday afternoon at 9.50 meters.

The situation remains critical in many parts of the country: 

Passau's old town had already been largely closed to traffic on Monday. From a water level of 8.50 meters - which was measured on Monday afternoon - built-up areas are flooded on a large scale. High water levels were also observed in Austria. In Linz, the Danube may reach a height of seven meters during the course of Tuesday, which is 1.5 meters above the warning limit.

Several gauges along the Danube were expected to crest during the night or over the course of Tuesday, including Regensburg, Straubing and Deggendorf. The flood waters receded, particularly in the southern tributaries of the Danube.

Four people died
In Baden-Württemberg, the weather situation slowly eased - and the consequences of the devastating floods are becoming increasingly visible. Thousands of helpers are still in action. Four fatalities have been recovered in southern Germany so far.

Deutsche Bahn train services are severely disrupted due to the damage caused by the storm. Some lines are completely closed due to flooding. However, according to the latest information from Deutsche Bahn, train services between Munich and Ingolstadt will be resumed on Tuesday.

Berlin promises help
Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) promised reliable support for the people affected by the floods in southern Germany. "In the flood areas, the only priority now is to save life and limb. That is the imperative of the hour. But the people in the flooded areas must also be helped to rebuild," he told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper.

In some places, the damage is now becoming visible.

(Bild: APA Pool/dpa/Bernd Wei§brod)

The fact that the flooding of large areas of land is occurring more frequently than in the past is a consequence of global warming. "We can't turn it back, but I believe that the terrible events of these days will stimulate the debate about how seriously we take climate protection," said Habeck.